Japan's famously high-tech toilets are getting a new upgrade: sound-masking devices designed to cover up the less melodic realities of public restrooms. These gadgets, often called Otohime, or "Sound ...

Step into any public restroom stall in Japan and you’re likely to be enveloped in a soundscape. No, not that kind. It’s the babble of running water, perhaps peppered with cheerful tweets and birdsong, ...

Step into any public restroom stall in Japan and you’re likely to be enveloped in a soundscape. No, not that kind. It’s the babble of running water, perhaps peppered with cheerful tweets and birdsong, ...

If you need help falling asleep or staying focused while working at home, you may be familiar with “white noise,” a type of sound that includes all audible frequencies. It’s pretty common and ...

Editor’s Note: Our editors published this story about sound masking and its indispensable role in the return to office on Wednesday, Aug. 27. We will note any subsequent updates. The workplace ...