A wireless sound-emitting device includes a housing adapted to be coupled to a wall at a source of electric power, a loudspeaker positioned at a periphery of the housing, a control module outputting an electric audio signal to the at least one loudspeaker, and a wireless communications module in electrical communication with the control module. The loudspeaker emits acoustic signals in a direction parallel to the wall, when the housing is coupled to the wall, with the acoustic signals reflecting off the wall. The device may produce a sound masking noise or play a sound recorded on an internal memory. The device may include an electric plug or be adapted to replace an electric outlet faceplate. The device may have electric pass-through outlets and may be powered by the source of electric power. The device may be controlled remotely, for example via an Internet of Things (IoT) platform.

The present disclosure relates to concepts of acoustic noise cancelling. A noise cancelling apparatus contains a propulsion component configured to autonomously move the noise cancelling apparatus, and circuitry. The circuitry is configured to determine a position of an acoustic source, to determine a position of an acoustic receiver, and, depending on the detected positions of the acoustic source and the acoustic receiver, to control the propulsion component to navigate the noise cancelling apparatus to a target position to at least partly cancel an acoustic signal from the acoustic source at the position of the acoustic receiver.

Techniques are disclosed for reliably masking speech commands directed to one or more computing devices to prevent the speech commands from being rendered. In some embodiments, each of the one or more computing devices includes components configured to generate acoustic data from ambient sound waves, process the acoustic data to identify a speech command sequence, and mask the speech command sequence from being rendered. At least some of the systems and methods disclosed herein monitor inbound audio at a fine grain level of detail. Working at this level of granularity enables the system and methods described herein to detect potential speech commands early within the user's utterance thereof and to discriminate quickly between true speech commands and other user utterances. These early detection and discrimination features, in turn, enable some embodiments to manage potential communication disruptions (e.g., jitter and/or latency) by modifying rates of audio prior to rendering.

A speech reproduction device for reproducing speech based on a received speech signal so that the reproduced speech is intelligible in a clear speech zone and unintelligible in a masked speech zone includes an audio processing module configured for receiving the speech signal; a set of speech loudspeakers configured for reproducing the speech based on one or more speech loudspeaker signals; and a set of masking sound loudspeakers configured for producing a masking sound based on one or more masking sound loudspeaker signals, wherein the masking sound masks the speech in the masked speech zone; wherein the audio processing module includes a speech signal analysis module configured for producing one or more analysis signals based on spectral and/or temporal characteristics of the speech signal; wherein the audio processing module includes a masking sound generator configured for producing one or more masking sound signals based on the one or more analysis signals.

Methods and apparatuses for addressing open space noise are disclosed. In one example, a method for masking open space noise includes outputting from a speaker a speaker sound corresponding to a flow of water, and displaying a water element system, the water element system generating a sound of flowing water.

Certain example embodiments relate to speech privacy systems and/or associated methods. The techniques described herein disrupt the intelligibility of the perceived speech by, for example, superimposing onto an original speech signal a masking replica of the original speech signal in which portions of it are smeared by a time delay and/or amplitude adjustment, with the time delays and/or amplitude adjustments oscillating over time. In certain example embodiments, smearing of the original signal may be generated in frequency ranges corresponding to formants, consonant sounds, phonemes, and/or other related or non-related information-carrying building blocks of speech. Additionally, or in the alternative, annoying reverberations particular to a room or area in low frequency ranges may be cut out of the replica signal, without increasing or substantially increasing perceived loudness.

A system for near field communications is provided. The system can include a near field generator configured to generate a near field detectable signal comprising information. The system can include a near field detector configured to receive the near field detectable signal and output the information. The system can include an Electro-Magnetic (EM) shield surrounding the near field generator to block EM radio frequency (RF) signals in the vicinity of the near field generator from interfering with operations of the near field generator. The EM shield does not prevent communication of the near field detectable signal between the near field generator and the near field detector. The EM shield can be configured to reduce magnetic field loss from eddy currents in the EM shield as the near field detectable signal passes through the EM shield.

Certain example embodiments relate to speech privacy systems and/or associated methods. The techniques described herein disrupt the intelligibility of the perceived speech by, for example, superimposing onto an original speech signal a masking replica of the original speech signal in which portions of it are smeared by a time delay and/or amplitude adjustment, with the time delays and/or amplitude adjustments oscillating over time. In certain example embodiments, smearing of the original signal may be generated in frequency ranges corresponding to formants, consonant sounds, phonemes, and/or other related or non-related information-carrying building blocks of speech. Additionally, or in the alternative, annoying reverberations particular to a room or area in low frequency ranges may be cut out of the replica signal, without increasing or substantially increasing perceived loudness.

Techniques are disclosed for reliably masking speech commands directed to one or more computing devices to prevent the speech commands from being rendered. In some embodiments, each of the one or more computing devices includes components configured to generate acoustic data from ambient sound waves, process the acoustic data to identify a speech command sequence, and mask the speech command sequence from being rendered. At least some of the systems and methods disclosed herein monitor inbound audio at a fine grain level of detail. Working at this level of granularity enables the system and methods described herein to detect potential speech commands early within the user's utterance thereof and to discriminate quickly between true speech commands and other user utterances. These early detection and discrimination features, in turn, enable some embodiments to manage potential communication disruptions (e.g., jitter and/or latency) by modifying rates of audio prior to rendering.

Lightweight shielded enclosures and systems provide a high level of acoustic, RF, EMI and EMP protection. Such enclosures and systems include one or more lightweight , non-conductive beams arranged to support a shielded covering.