An ear cup for a hearing protector includes a cup-shaped outer casing, a sealing ring on a rim of the outer casing, and at least one electrical component such as a microphone. The electrical component is mounted on a flexible circuit board attached on the outer surface of the outer casing, where the outer casing includes a slit through which the flexible circuit board extends to the inside of the outer casing so as to provide electrical connections between the electrical component and an electrical circuitry inside the outer casing. Thus, there is no need for wide openings on the outer casing of the ear cup, instead only a narrow slit suffices. This facilitates achieving good noise reduction properties.

Disclosed embodiments may relate to systems and methods for monitoring and/or mapping noise data from a plurality of noise monitoring devices. In some embodiments, the plurality of noise monitoring devices may include hearing protection devices configured to detect noise, and typically may communicate such noise data (which may also include location) so that the noise data can be pooled. The pooled noise data from the plurality of noise monitoring devices may then be used to the benefit of one or more of such noise monitoring devices.

A method for operating a hearing device for being worn at least partially within an ear canal of a user, including an ear canal microphone, a filtering unit and an electrical-to-acoustical converter, capable of active occlusion control (AOC) and allowing the user to adjust the AOC functionality according to his or her preferences. The method includes picking up an ear canal internal sound at the microphone which provides a signal representative of the internal sound, filtering the signal with the filtering unit to reduce a perceived level of body sounds produced by the user, providing the filtered signal to the converter which outputs sound into the ear canal, and changing at least one setting or parameter of the filtering unit in dependence of a control signal, wherein the control signal is initiated by the user. Moreover, a hearing device adapted to perform the method is provided.

Electronic hearing protection earwear having increased noise reduction rating. The earwear can be configured to plug an ear of the user. The earwear includes a housing defining an interior in which electronic components of the earwear are received. Void filling material can be installed in the housing interior to reduce vibration and sound wave propagation, thus increasing the noise reduction rating of the earwear.

A system including an acoustic barrier suitable for wearing in or on an ear of an individual mammalian subject, and a processor. The acoustic barrier defines at least one sound path therethrough and includes a microphone for measuring sound pressure inside the acoustic barrier. The processor is arranged to receive measurements from the microphone and determine a risk that a sound dose limit will be reached before a predetermined time associated with the dose limit. The system is arranged to provide an indication of the determined risk.

A hearing protection system comprising a hearing protection device and a communication device is disclosed, the hearing protection device comprising a first connector; a first ear protector comprising a first sound attenuation body, a first primary microphone, and a first receiver, wherein the first primary microphone and the first receiver are electrically connected to a first primary terminal and a first receiver terminal of the first connector, respectively, and wherein the first sound attenuation body is configured to cover an outer ear of a user; and a second ear protector comprising a second sound attenuation body, a second primary microphone, and a second receiver, wherein the second primary microphone and the second receiver are electrically connected to a second primary terminal and a second receiver terminal of the first connector, respectively, and wherein the second sound attenuation body is configured to cover an outer ear of a user.

A system includes a first earpiece having an earpiece housing configured to isolate an ambient environment from a tympanic membrane by physically blocking ambient sound, a microphone disposed within the housing and configured to receive a first ambient audio signal from the ambient environment, a processor operatively connected to the microphone wherein the processor is configured to receive the first ambient audio signal from the microphone and determine if the first ambient signal exceeds a threshold sound level, and a speaker operatively connected to the processor. In a first mode of operation the processor determines that the first ambient audio signal exceeds the threshold sound level and processes the first ambient audio signal to modify the first ambient audio signal. In a second mode of operation the processor determines that the first ambient audio signal does not exceed the threshold sound level and reproduces the first ambient audio signal at the speaker.

A method for using an earpiece (800) in a work environment is provided. The earpiece (800) attenuates sound from the work environment to the user's ear. The earpiece (800) includes an ear canal microphone (820) for measuring a sound pressure level in an ear canal of the user. Sound pressure levels are measured periodically while in the work environment. Each measured sound pressure levels is stored in memory (127) of the earpiece with time and location information. The sound pressure level information is downloaded to a database (1704) when the earpiece is removed from the user ear for recharging. The sound pressure level information is analyzed and any potential noise compliance issues in the work environment are identified.

A hearing protection system, a hearing protection device and related method, the hearing protection device comprising an earpiece device comprising a first connector, and first and second earpieces, the first earpiece comprising a first primary microphone and a first receiver wired to the first connector and the second earpiece comprising a second primary microphone and a second receiver wired to the first connector; and a processing device comprising a processor, an earpiece interface, and a wireless communication interface, wherein the processor is configured to receive a first microphone input signal from the first primary microphone; process the first microphone input signal for provision of a first primary output signal for the first receiver based on the first microphone input signal; receive a communication request from a communication device via the communication interface; and in response to receipt of the communication request, communicate with the communication device via the communication interface.

Devices and methods for enhanced hearing protection for animals are disclosed. Passive noise reduction components provide reduction of at least 20 dB to 30 dB in dogs using flexible soft muffs that are housed in a hearing protection sleeve. Active noise cancellation (ANC) features may also be used to increase noise reduction to about 40 dB over a large frequency range. The devices may employ passive noise reduction electronic bypass to measure and playback sounds at safe levels bypassing at least one of ANC and passive noise reduction. Communication components may be employed to provide for communication between the handler and the animal. The systems and methods may be used to protect the hearing and utility of military working dogs and hunting dogs.