A method for manufacturing a cartilage conduction audio device is disclosed. A manufacturing system receives data describing a three-dimensional shape of an ear (e.g., the outer ear, behind the ear, the concha bowel, etc.) of a user. The system identifies one or more locations for one or more transducers along a back of an auricle of the ear for the user that vibrate the auricle over a frequency range causing the auricle to create an acoustic pressure wave at an entrance of the ear canal. The system then generates a design for a cartilage conduction audio device for the user based on the one or more identified locations of the transducers at which acoustic pressure waves generated by the one or more transducers satisfy a threshold performance metric for the user. The design may then be used to fabricate the cartilage conduction audio device.

A method for manufacturing a cartilage conduction audio device is disclosed. A manufacturing system receives data describing a three-dimensional shape of an ear (e.g., the outer ear, behind the ear, the concha bowel, etc.) of a user. The system identifies one or more locations for one or more transducers along a back of an auricle of the ear for the user that vibrate the auricle over a frequency range causing the auricle to create an acoustic pressure wave at an entrance of the ear canal. The system then generates a design for a cartilage conduction audio device for the user based on the one or more identified locations of the transducers at which acoustic pressure waves generated by the one or more transducers satisfy a threshold performance metric for the user. The design may then be used to fabricate the cartilage conduction audio device.

An improved system and method for recognizing an audio signal due to physical activity and taking a predetermined action in response is disclosed. A reverse noise signal created by the sound pressure wave of the physical activity acting on the earpiece transducer is obtained. In some embodiments, an ambient noise signal is inverted and fed back, and the inverted signal is added to the intended audio signal being sent to the earpiece so that the ambient noise is cancelled. In other embodiments, a processor receives the ambient noise signal and predicts the modification to the intended audio signal needed to counteract the ambient noise. In other embodiments, the reverse noise signal may represent a motor or biological activity of a user; the system may take different actions in response to different physical activities, such as a heart beat of the user, or a tap, footfall, or swallowing by the user.

A device and method for the continuous monitoring of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) levels on an individual worker uses as a pair of earpieces each featuring an external microphone, an internal microphone and a pair of miniature receivers. An adaptive filtering noise rejection processing of the measured distortion product OAE (DPOAE) is used to further improve the Signal-to-Noise ratio in frequencies where passive isolation remains insufficient. The adaptive filtering noise rejection technique relies on a Normalized Least-Mean-Square (NLMS) algorithm that uses the ipsilateral external microphone and the contralateral internal microphone to reject the noise from the measured DPOAE signals for each in-ear OAE probe. A DPOAE signal extraction algorithm provides for an increase in results reliability on a greater dynamic range in DPOAE magnitudes than known methods of DPOAE signal extraction. The device and method is suitable for the continuous monitoring of workers' hearing capabilities in industrial noises up to 75 dB(A).

A hearing protection device (100) includes at least a first audio signal processor (P.sub.1) with a first audio signal frequency filter (F.sub.1) and a first audio signal compressor (C.sub.1) and a second audio signal processor (P.sub.n) with a second audio signal frequency filter (F.sub.n) and a second audio signal compressor (C.sub.n), the first audio signal processor and the second audio signal processor arranged in parallel, the first audio signal processor adapted to pass audio signals within a first frequency range and to compress the passed audio signals when the volume of the passed audio signals is above a first threshold volume, and the second audio signal processor adapted to pass audio signals within a second frequency range and to compress the passed audio signals when the volume of the audio signals is above a second threshold volume.

A hearing aid system includes an electric audio signal input, an audio input signal processing unit that is configured to process electric audio input signals in the first processing mode or in the second processing mode and to provide an electric audio output signal, and an output transducer. The hearing aid system further includes an audio input signal analysing unit that is configured to continuously monitor the electric audio input signal as a function of time and to determine and to provide a number of audio signal values each representing a characteristic of the electric audio input signal at a given time instance. The hearing aid system further includes a plurality of electrodes that are configured to be brought into contact with the skin of a user and which are configuredwhen operationally mounted to receive an electric signal that rep-resents a user's brain activity and to provide a respective EEG-related signal. The hearing aid system further includes an EEG-related signal analysing unit that is configured to continuously monitor the EEG-related signal as a function of time and to determine and to provide a number of EEG-related values each representing the EEG-related signal at a given time instance, a memory unit which is configured to store a number of audio signal values such that a first history of respective audio signal values is created and/or to store a number of EEG-related values such that a second history of respective EEG-related values is created and a signal comparison unit that is configured to compare a current audio signal value with at least one preceding audio signal value of the first history to determine and to provide a deviation signal and/or to compare a current EEG-related value with at least one preceding EEG-related value of the second history to determine a measure of a user's current cognitive load and to provide a cognitive load representing output signal accordingly. The audio input signal processing unit is further configured to apply the first processing mode or the at least second processing mode depending on the deviation signal and/or depending on the cognitive load representing output signal.

A hearing aid system includes an electric audio signal input, an audio input signal processing unit that is configured to process electric audio input signals in the first processing mode or in the second processing mode and to provide an electric audio output signal, and an output transducer. The hearing aid system further includes an audio input signal analysing unit that is configured to continuously monitor the electric audio input signal as a function of time and to determine and to provide a number of audio signal values each representing a characteristic of the electric audio input signal at a given time instance. The hearing aid system further includes a plurality of electrodes that are configured to be brought into contact with the skin of a user and which are configuredwhen operationally mounted to receive an electric signal that rep-resents a user's brain activity and to provide a respective EEG-related signal. The hearing aid system further includes an EEG-related signal analysing unit that is configured to continuously monitor the EEG-related signal as a function of time and to determine and to provide a number of EEG-related values each representing the EEG-related signal at a given time instance, a memory unit which is configured to store a number of audio signal values such that a first history of respective audio signal values is created and/or to store a number of EEG-related values such that a second history of respective EEG-related values is created and a signal comparison unit that is configured to compare a current audio signal value with at least one preceding audio signal value of the first history to determine and to provide a deviation signal and/or to compare a current EEG-related value with at least one preceding EEG-related value of the second history to determine a measure of a user's current cognitive load and to provide a cognitive load representing output signal accordingly. The audio input signal processing unit is further configured to apply the first processing mode or the at least second processing mode depending on the deviation signal and/or depending on the cognitive load representing output signal.

An ear covering system for keeping ears warm while wearing earphones includes a pair of earphones. Each of the earphones is selectively worn in an associated one of a pair of ears. A pair of earmuffs is provided and each of the earmuffs is selectively worn on an associated one the ears. Each of the earmuffs has a hole therein and each of the earphones is selectively extended through the hole in an associated one of the earmuffs. In this way the earmuffs are worn in conjunction with the earphones. Each of the earmuffs is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to keep the ears warm in a cold environment.

An ear covering system for keeping ears warm while wearing earphones includes a pair of earphones. Each of the earphones is selectively worn in an associated one of a pair of ears. A pair of earmuffs is provided and each of the earmuffs is selectively worn on an associated one the ears. Each of the earmuffs has a hole therein and each of the earphones is selectively extended through the hole in an associated one of the earmuffs. In this way the earmuffs are worn in conjunction with the earphones. Each of the earmuffs is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to keep the ears warm in a cold environment.

A method for manufacturing a cartilage conduction audio device is disclosed. A manufacturing system receives data describing a three-dimensional shape of an ear (e.g., the outer ear, behind the ear, the concha bowel, etc.) of a user. The system identifies one or more locations for one or more transducers along a back of an auricle of the ear for the user that vibrate the auricle over a frequency range causing the auricle to create an acoustic pressure wave at an entrance of the ear canal. The system then generates a design for a cartilage conduction audio device for the user based on the one or more identified locations of the transducers at which acoustic pressure waves generated by the one or more transducers satisfy a threshold performance metric for the user. The design may then be used to fabricate the cartilage conduction audio device.