Novel active phantom-powered ribbon microphones that provide switchable proximity effect response filtering for voice and music applications are disclosed with unique adjustable interfaces. In one embodiment of the invention, a slider-based full frequency response vs. low frequency response and high pass filtering adjustment interface on a surface of a microphone casing provides a convenient switching between a “Music” mode and a “Voice” mode, wherein the “Voice” mode reduces the undesirable proximity effect in an active phantom-powered ribbon microphone, when a sound source is situated overly close to the active phantom-powered ribbon microphone. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the invention, a slider-based or a knob-based variable voice mode adjustment interface can also be integrated on a surface of a microphone casing to provide various preset levels of low frequency reduction and/or proximity effect response filtering when the “Voice” mode is enabled.

Novel active phantom-powered ribbon microphones that provide switchable proximity effect response filtering for voice and music applications are disclosed with unique adjustable interfaces. In one embodiment of the invention, a slider-based full frequency response vs. low frequency response and high pass filtering adjustment interface on a surface of a microphone casing provides a convenient switching between a “Music” mode and a “Voice” mode, wherein the “Voice” mode reduces the undesirable proximity effect in an active phantom-powered ribbon microphone, when a sound source is situated overly close to the active phantom-powered ribbon microphone. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the invention, a slider-based or a knob-based variable voice mode adjustment interface can also be integrated on a surface of a microphone casing to provide various preset levels of low frequency reduction and/or proximity effect response filtering when the “Voice” mode is enabled.

The disclosure describes devices and methods for implementing impedance matching. The device may be implemented on an integrated circuit that includes a communication protocol interface circuit, a first signal output terminal, a first output driver circuit, and a controller. The first output driver circuit is coupled to the controller and has a corresponding plurality of parallel driver stages, each driver stage including a driver and a configurable resistance coupling an output of the driver to the first signal output terminal (e.g., first contact). The configurable resistances of the first output driver form a first series terminated resistance. The controller is configured to adjust the configurable resistances to adjust the first series terminated resistance.

A localized sound projection system can coordinate the sounds of speakers to simulate the placement of an auditory cue in a 3D space. The system can include a plurality of speakers configured to output auditory signals and a sound localization controller configured to control the plurality of speakers to coordinate the auditory signals to simulate an origination location of a patient alarm. The sound localization controller can determine adjusted auditory signals and control a plurality of speakers to output the plurality of adjusted auditory signals. A method for dynamically controlling speaker settings in a medical environment can include determining volume settings corresponding to a speaker, monitoring a level of ambient noise corresponding to a room of a patient, controlling the volume settings of the speaker to reduce or increase a sound level output of a speaker. A patient monitoring system can be configured to physically manipulate medical devices in response to audible commands. The system can receive a plurality of vocal commands from a user and can manipulate various settings after confirmation from a user.

A localized sound projection system can coordinate the sounds of speakers to simulate the placement of an auditory cue in a 3D space. The system can include a plurality of speakers configured to output auditory signals and a sound localization controller configured to control the plurality of speakers to coordinate the auditory signals to simulate an origination location of a patient alarm. The sound localization controller can determine adjusted auditory signals and control a plurality of speakers to output the plurality of adjusted auditory signals. A method for dynamically controlling speaker settings in a medical environment can include determining volume settings corresponding to a speaker, monitoring a level of ambient noise corresponding to a room of a patient, controlling the volume settings of the speaker to reduce or increase a sound level output of a speaker. A patient monitoring system can be configured to physically manipulate medical devices in response to audible commands. The system can receive a plurality of vocal commands from a user and can manipulate various settings after confirmation from a user.

An artificial cochlea device for processing audio signals by electro-mechanical amplitude changes may be provided. The device comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone comprising a membrane, an electro-mechanical feedback loop embedded in the MEMS microphone. Thereby, the electro-mechanical feedback loop comprises a piezo-electric actuator acting on the MEMS microphone by influencing the membrane's way to swing, such that an electro-mechanical amplitude change of an output signal is achieved.

The disclosure describes devices and methods for implementing impedance matching. The device may be implemented on an integrated circuit that includes a communication protocol interface circuit, a first signal output terminal, a first output driver circuit, and a controller. The first output driver circuit is coupled to the controller and has a corresponding plurality of parallel driver stages, each driver stage including a driver and a configurable resistance coupling an output of the driver to the first signal output terminal (e.g., first contact). The configurable resistances of the first output driver form a first series terminated resistance. The controller is configured to adjust the configurable resistances to adjust the first series terminated resistance.

An artificial cochlea device for processing audio signals by electro-mechanical amplitude changes may be provided. The device comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone comprising a membrane, an electro-mechanical feedback loop embedded in the MEMS microphone. Thereby, the electro-mechanical feedback loop comprises a piezo-electric actuator acting on the MEMS microphone by influencing the membrane's way to swing, such that an electro-mechanical amplitude change of an output signal is achieved.

An acoustic sensor including a fixed conductive plate and an elastic conductive plate placed in parallel, an electric circuit connected to the fixed conductive plate and to the elastic conductive plate and providing a signal indicating temporal capacitance between the fixed conductive plate and to the elastic conductive plate, a controller including an input terminal connected to the electric circuit and an output terminal providing gain-control output signal, and a variable-gain amplifier including a first input terminal connected to the at least one fixed conductive plate, a second input terminal connected to the elastic conductive plate, a gain-control input terminal connected to the controller output, and an output terminal providing the sensed acoustic signal.

An audio appliance can include a microphone transducer configured to receive sound from an environment and to convert the received sound into an audio signal and a display. The audio appliance can include an audio analytics module configured to detect an audio-input impairment by analyzing the audio signal and output a detection signal identifying the audio-input impairment in real-time. The audio-input impairment can include, for example, a poor-intelligibility impairment, a microphone-occlusion impairment, a handling-noise impairment, a wind-noise impairment, or a distortion impairment. The audio appliance can also include an impairment module configured to identify and emit a user-perceptible alert corresponding to the identified audio-input impairment in real-time; and an interactive guidance module configured to present a suggested action to address the audio-input impairment in real-time. Related aspects also are described.