The present invention discloses an audio device output energy control method for protecting hearing, the method including: step S1, obtaining energy or pressure at a speaker or at any point in a sound field from the speaker to a tympanic membrane by means of calculation or measurement, which serves as the energy or pressure at the tympanic membrane or cochlea of a user after compensation or calculation; step S2, calculating a cumulative hearing loss value according to the energy or pressure at the tympanic membrane or cochlea of the user, or calculating cumulative energy at any point in the sound field from the speaker to the tympanic membrane according to the energy or pressure at that location, and then equivalently calculating a cumulative hearing loss value at the tympanic membrane or cochlea of the user; step S3, comparing the cumulative hearing loss value with a preset hearing loss threshold, and performing step S4 if the cumulative hearing loss value reaches the hearing loss threshold; and step S4, reducing a volume of the audio device. The present invention can monitor the energy at the tympanic membrane or cochlea of the user in real time and adjust the output energy of the audio device in time, thus realizing hearing protection.

A speech intelligibility enhancing system for difficult acoustical conditions is disclosed, the speech intelligibility enhancing system comprising at least one ear plug (201) for insertion in an ear canal (218) of a person, the at least one ear plug being arranged with an ear canal facing portion (401) and an environment facing portion (402), and the at least one ear plug comprising an acoustically attenuating path (214; 214, 213) comprising a vent (214) coupling said environment facing portion (402) with said ear canal facing portion (401); and an electroacoustic path (202, 204, 209; 202, 203, 204, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212) comprising a microphone (202) at said environment facing portion (402), a variable gain (204) and a loudspeaker (209) at said ear canal facing portion (401); wherein said acoustically attenuating path (214; 214, 213) is arranged with a transfer function from said environment facing portion (402) to said ear canal facing portion (401) having a low pass characteristic having a low pass cut¬off frequency and said low pass characteristic attenuating sound by a nominal attenuation (Go) for frequencies below said cut-off frequency.

A speech intelligibility enhancing system for difficult acoustical conditions is disclosed, the speech intelligibility enhancing system comprising at least one ear plug (201) for insertion in an ear canal (218) of a person, the at least one ear plug being arranged with an ear canal facing portion (401) and an environment facing portion (402), and the at least one ear plug comprising an acoustically attenuating path (214; 214, 213) comprising a vent (214) coupling said environment facing portion (402) with said ear canal facing portion (401); and an electroacoustic path (202, 204, 209; 202, 203, 204, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212) comprising a microphone (202) at said environment facing portion (402), a variable gain (204) and a loudspeaker (209) at said ear canal facing portion (401); wherein said acoustically attenuating path (214; 214, 213) is arranged with a transfer function from said environment facing portion (402) to said ear canal facing portion (401) having a low pass characteristic having a low pass cut¬off frequency and said low pass characteristic attenuating sound by a nominal attenuation (Go) for frequencies below said cut-off frequency.

An in-ear noise dosimeter in the form of an earplug which senses sound in the ear canal using an eartip which has a sound delivery channel that couples sound at the end closest to the eardrum to an earplug microphone. The earplug can communicate wirelessly with a remote data collection and processing system. A dock unit for storing the earplugs when not worn can compensate for differences in unoccluded-ear versus occluded-ear responses by an acoustic compensator. An electronic compensation filter can be modified by a proximity switch in the earplug which changes state when the earplug is worn in the ear versus stored in a dock unit. The dosimeter can also have a temperature sensor for sensing human body temperature and remotely-located wireless LEDs used to alert the user of high noise dosage. Data can also be downloaded from the earplug using a reader unit.

An in-ear noise dosimeter in the form of an earplug which senses sound in the ear canal using an eartip which has a sound delivery channel that couples sound at the end closest to the eardrum to an earplug microphone. The earplug can communicate wirelessly with a remote data collection and processing system. A dock unit for storing the earplugs when not worn can compensate for differences in unoccluded-ear versus occluded-ear responses by an acoustic compensator. An electronic compensation filter can be modified by a proximity switch in the earplug which changes state when the earplug is worn in the ear versus stored in a dock unit. The dosimeter can also have a temperature sensor for sensing human body temperature and remotely-located wireless LEDs used to alert the user of high noise dosage. Data can also be downloaded from the earplug using a reader unit.

A method of making a mold, the mold having an interior cavity for containing a first material and a second material, wherein the mold comprises a first port configured to receive the first material, a second port configured to receive the second material, and a first channel for directing the second material to within the first material, the method includes: determining an electronic file having data representing a shape of an ear; processing the electronic file to create an electronic model of the mold, the electronic model of the mold having sprue features; and creating the mold based on the electronic model of the mold.

The disclosed device, system, and method may comprise one or more devices for digital personal protective equipment. These devices may be network enabled wearables. A plurality of sensors, data transmission mechanisms, self-illuminating LEDs, and communication mechanisms may be embedded in a suspension or harness in various embodiments. A number of sensors may likewise be provided in a glove or earbud (ear plug). The device may measure various aspects of a wearer's movement and transmit that data over a data connection (such as a wifi or mobile connection) to a server. The server may house project and human resources data, worker and condition information, and materials and supplies data, according to various examples of embodiments. The system may further comprise one or more applications which may interpret the data provided.

The disclosed device, system, and method may comprise one or more devices for digital personal protective equipment. These devices may be network enabled wearables. A plurality of sensors, data transmission mechanisms, self-illuminating LEDs, and communication mechanisms may be embedded in a suspension or harness in various embodiments. A number of sensors may likewise be provided in a glove or earbud (ear plug). The device may measure various aspects of a wearer's movement and transmit that data over a data connection (such as a wifi or mobile connection) to a server. The server may house project and human resources data, worker and condition information, and materials and supplies data, according to various examples of embodiments. The system may further comprise one or more applications which may interpret the data provided.

A magnetic field antenna that provides high efficiency and a compact form factor. Electromagnetic shielding of electrical components used in the antenna is provided, and one embodiment of the invention is a wireless battery-free communications earplug.