Systems, devices, and methods for communication include an ear canal microphone configured for placement in the ear canal to detect high frequency sound localization cues. An external microphone positioned away from the ear canal can detect low frequency sound, such that feedback can be substantially reduced. The canal microphone and the external microphone are coupled to a transducer, such that the user perceives sound from the external microphone and the canal microphone with high frequency localization cues and decreased feedback. Wireless circuitry can be configured to connect to many devices with a wireless protocol, such that the user can receive and transmit audio signals. A bone conduction sensor can detect near-end speech of the user for transmission with the wireless circuitry in a noisy environment. Noise cancellation of background sounds near the user can be provided.

An apparatus for providing directional audio capture may include a processor and memory storing executable computer program code that cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including assigning at least one beam direction, among a plurality of beam directions, in which to direct directionality of an output signal of one or more microphones. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to divide microphone signals of the microphones into selected frequency subbands wherein an analysis performed. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to select at least one set of microphones of the apparatus for selected frequency subbands. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to optimize the assigned at least one beam direction by adjusting a beamformer parameter(s) based on the selected set of microphones and at least one of the selected frequency subbands. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

A microphone device, an interface circuit and method are provided for managing a potential difference in sensitivity to a detected environmental stimulus associated with a sensor arrangement, where multiple electrical signals forming a differential signal can be produced, and the multiple electrical signals can be better balanced. Such an interface circuit, which can be used within a microphone device includes a bias voltage generator having one or more bias output voltage terminals, where a respective one of one or more DC bias voltages is produced at each of the bias output voltage terminals, for being coupled to a pair of transduction elements of a sensor. The interface circuit further includes an amplifier circuit having a first input terminal coupled to a first one of the pair of output terminals of the sensor and having a second input terminal coupled to a second one of the pair of output terminals of the sensor, the amplifier circuit producing a differential output signal. The interface circuit still further includes a compensation circuit coupled to the amplifier circuit for producing a balance signal based on an output signal being produced by the amplifier circuit, wherein the balance signal compensates for any difference in amplitude in the first and second electrical signals that are received by the amplifier circuit from the sensor.

Systems, devices, and methods for communication include an ear canal microphone configured for placement in the ear canal to detect high frequency sound localization cues. An external microphone positioned away from the ear canal can detect low frequency sound, such that feedback can be substantially reduced. The canal microphone and the external microphone are coupled to a transducer, such that the user perceives sound from the external microphone and the canal microphone with high frequency localization cues and decreased feedback. Wireless circuitry can be configured to connect to many devices with a wireless protocol, such that the user can receive and transmit audio signals. A bone conduction sensor can detect near-end speech of the user for transmission with the wireless circuitry in a noisy environment. Noise cancellation of background sounds near the user can be provided.

System and method for assessing speaker spatial orientation are provided. For example, audio data, as well as input from other sensors, may be analyzed to assess speaker spatial orientation. For example, the audio data may be analyzed to determine that two speakers are engaged in conversation. relative direction of one speaker with respect to the other may be obtained. Spatial orientation of at least one of the speakers may be obtained. The spatial orientation may be assessed according to the relative direction and the determination that the two speakers are engaged in conversation. Feedbacks and reports may be provided based on the assessed speaker spatial orientation.

Disclosed herein is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body including a storage compartment, a door body rotatably coupled to the main body to open and close the storage compartment, and a front panel detachably coupled to the door body. The door body includes an upper cap including a trim receiving space. The front panel includes an upper trim inserted into the trim receiving space. A voice path is formed in the upper cap and a microphone module is provided in the upper trim to receive voice through the voice path.

Embodiments include a microphone array with a plurality of microphone elements comprising a first set of elements arranged along a first axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by a first distance; a second set of elements arranged along the first axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by a second, greater distance, such that the first set is nested within the second set; a third set of elements arranged along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by the second distance; and a fourth set of elements nested within the third set along the second axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by the first distance, wherein each set includes a first cluster of microphone elements and a second cluster of microphone elements spaced apart by the specified distance.

A piezoelectric contact microphone with a mechanical vibration conduction interface provides an improved mobile electronic device microphone. In an embodiment, the mechanical vibration conduction interface is placed on a bone structure and conducts vibration from the bone structure to the piezoelectric contact microphone. Because of the direct contact, this use of piezoelectric contact microphone reduces or eliminates interferences effects due to wind and other airflow over the microphone. The mechanical vibration conduction interface materials and structure are selected to provide effective transmission of vibration from the bone structure to the piezoelectric element within the piezoelectric contact microphone. This piezoelectric contact microphone enables mobile electronic devices to provide improved voice communication, voice transcription, and voice command recognition in the presence of wind noise and other noise.

Disclosed herein are apparatus, devices, and methods for monitoring marine animals, such as whales, and other marine mammals, and fish groups within a marine environment. A marine animal monitoring system may include an acoustic receiver array having a high-resolution directional sensing capacity using large-aperture densely-sampled coherent ocean acoustic receiver arrays operative to enhance detection range and localization accuracy of marine mammal vocalizations and fish acoustic signals. The acoustic receiver array may generate acoustic signal information based on acoustic signals sensed at the array. The marine monitoring system may operate to generate marine animal information based on the acoustic signal information, such as marine animal location, species, call type, and/or the like.

System and method for analyzing audio data are provided. The audio data may be analyzed to identify speech prosody. For example, the audio data may be analyzed to select a portion of the audio data containing speech produced by a first speaker. The audio data may be further analyzed to identify speech prosody of the speech within the selected portion. Feedbacks and reports may be provided based on the identified speech prosody.