A noise sensor is disposed adjacent a speaker within an ear cup of a hearing protection device. The speaker is disposed within a speaker housing and the noise sensor is disposed within a sensor housing, the sensor housing coupled to the speaker housing such that the noise sensor and speaker remain adjacent one another. The noise sensor includes at least a microphone operably coupled to a printed circuit board. The sensor housing defines an axial bore such that the noise sensor can receive acoustic signals via the axial bore. The sensor housing can be coupled to the speaker housing such that the noise sensor is sealed therebetween and receives acoustic signals via a distal end of the axial bore opposite the speaker. A calibration tool can be disposed to the axial bore via the distal end for airtight calibration of the noise sensor.

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.

There is provided an ear cup comprising a housing, an ear pad attached to the housing and arranged such that the housing and the ear pad together define a cavity having an opening, and an acoustic driver disposed within the cavity. The ear cup further comprises a feedforward microphone, a feedback microphone, and active noise control (ANC) circuitry. The active noise control (ANC) circuitry is configured to use a feedforward signal provided by the feedforward microphone to operate the acoustic driver to attenuate noise having frequencies within a feedforward ANC range having a lower limit of no less than 300 Hz and an upper limit of more than 1.5 kHz and to use a feedback signal provided by the feedback microphone to operate the acoustic driver to attenuate noise having frequencies within a feedback ANC range having an upper limit of no more than 1.5 kHz.

The present disclosure provides a communication device for a hearing protection equipment which includes at least one earmuff, at least one loudspeaker and an audio input member, the device includes: a housing; a first mounting assembly rotatably arranged on the housing; a second mounting assembly arranged on the housing, the first mounting assembly and the second mounting assembly are releasably connected to two ends of the earmuff respectively; a microphone configured for capturing an audio; a radio transceiver configured for wirelessly transmitting the audio captured by the microphone to user and wirelessly receiving a wireless signal containing an audio from the user; and an audio output member communicated with the audio input member and configured for transmitting the wireless signal containing the audio to the at least one loudspeaker. The present disclosure further provides a system for connecting the communication device to the hearing protection equipment.

A noise sensor is disposed adjacent a speaker within an ear cup of a hearing protection device. The speaker is disposed within a speaker housing and the noise sensor is disposed within a sensor housing, the sensor housing coupled to the speaker housing such that the noise sensor and speaker remain adjacent one another. The noise sensor includes at least a microphone operably coupled to a printed circuit board. The sensor housing defines an axial bore such that the noise sensor can receive acoustic signals via the axial bore. The sensor housing can be coupled to the speaker housing such that the noise sensor is sealed therebetween and receives acoustic signals via a distal end of the axial bore opposite the speaker. A calibration tool can be disposed to the axial bore via the distal end for airtight calibration of the noise sensor.

Disclosed are hearing protection devices and housings for noise sensors for the same. Hearing protection devices can include an ear cup including an external casing partially defining an inner space, a noise sensor including a microphone electrically coupled to a printed circuit board, and a housing disposed in an aperture defined in the external casing. The housing can define an axial bore defining a noise sensor receiving portion and an acoustic communication portion. The inner space of the ear cup can be substantially airtight when the housing is sealably disposed at or proximate the aperture, the microphone is engaged within the noise sensor receiving portion of the housing, and the ear cup is worn securely about the wearer's ear. The noise sensor can be calibrated by removing a removable securing collar and slidably disposing a calibration tool into the axial bore without further disassembling the hearing protection device.

An active noise cancellation (ANC) system has a mounting plate, a first face of which is configured to be disposed against an inner surface of a helmet to form, with the helmet, a chamber. When the mounting plate is mounted on the helmet, a loudspeaker provided on the first face of the mounting plate is within the chamber. The plate has an aperture for allowing transmission of sound from the loudspeaker to the spatial region. At least one reference microphone is mounted on a second face of the plate. The plate acts as a mounting plate for components of the ANC system, simplifying the process of installing an ANC system. Also, the plate serves to define a chamber that accommodates the loudspeaker of the ANC system and provides good acoustic coupling of the sound signal from the loudspeaker of the ANC system into the quiet zone of the ANC system.

A hearing protection system, a hearing protection device and related method, the hearing protection device comprising an earpiece device comprising a first connector, a first earpiece, and a second earpiece, 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.

A hearing protection and situational awareness system includes a wearable device, speakers, one or more beamformers, a microphone array, and a computation unit. The system generates a three-dimensional (3D) binaural sound for enhanced situational awareness; provides hearing protection by active noise cancelation; provides hearing enhancement by automatic gain control; and performs background noise reduction and cancelation. The system performs automated sound detection, identification, and localization, with automated voice assistance, and facilitates clear two-way communications. Each beamformer(s) outputs a sound track associated with a sound captured by the microphone array in a direction(s) of an acoustic beam pattern(s). The computation unit combines filtered sound tracks generated using head-related transfer function (HRTF) filters into left and right sound channels to drive the speaker(s) in left and right hearing members of the wearable device, respectively, thereby generating a 3D binaural sound including cues of the sound source directions.

A hearing aid includes a microphone, and a processing unit. The microphone is configured to receive sound incident on the hearing aid and deliver a corresponding microphone output to the processing unit. The processing unit is configured to process the microphone output to determine whether the incident sound comprises potentially harmful sound, and to generate a processor output including a processed version of the microphone output.

A method of protecting a hearing aid wearer from sudden loud sounds uses a microphone in the hearing aid to receive incident sound and deliver a corresponding microphone output to a processing unit in the hearing aid. The processing unit processes the microphone output to generate a first processor output, determined by whether the incident sound includes potentially harmful impulsive sound, and a second processor output including a processed version of the microphone output.