HEARING PROTECTION AND NOISE RECORDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhanced hearing protection and data recording are disclosed. Recorded data is analyzed to determine user compliance with standard operating procedures. Additionally, hearing loss is monitored using neurological response of the auditory system to environmental noise. Optional sensors such as temperature sensors, accelerometers, GPS sensors are used to correlate noise data with external events. An optional acoustic source may be used to identify unusual conditions such as ear drum perforations and capture information related to health of the tympanic membrane and external auditory meatus. The systems and methods may also be used to protect the hearing and utility of military working dogs.

Claims

1. A hearing protection and noise recording system (HPRS) comprising: a noise reduction element to attenuate external noise to a predetermined in-ear threshold noise level; at least one analog to digital converter to digitize one or more signals from the noise reduction element; a controller capable of bidirectional communication with the at least one analog to digital converter to process output from the at least one analog to digital converter and control the operation of the hearing protection and recording system; and, a recording element capable of bidirectional communication with the controller to record at least one of in-ear noise levels and external noise levels in the form of raw data or processed data output from the controller wherein the recorded output is transmitted at predetermined intervals to an end device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the noise reduction element comprises at least one of passive earplugs capable of increasing attenuation of external noise as the external noise level increases and an active noise cancellation subsystem.

3. (canceled)

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined in-ear threshold noise level is a noise level that is lower than the external noise level by up to 30 dB.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the passive earplugs are capable of attenuating external noise at frequencies of at least about 200 Hz.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the active noise cancellation subsystem is capable of attenuating external noise at frequencies between about 200 Hz and 1000 Hz.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the noise reduction element further comprises at least one of: at least one microphone to capture external noise and in-ear noise; at least one sensor element in communication with the at least one analog to digital converter and the controller to enable correlation of noise reduction with physiological parameters; and, an acoustic source capable of being triggered by the controller to generate a noise signal to measure acoustic impedance of the ear wherein the recording element captures the output of the at least one sensor in the form of raw data or processed data output from the controller.

8. (canceled)

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the sensor element comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a GPS sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical neural sensor, and a pulse oximetry sensor.

10. (canceled)

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the acoustic source is a miniature speaker.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communication element operably connected to the controller wherein the communication element is configured to provide bidirectional communication between the user of the HPRS system and a third party.

13. (canceled)

14-25. (canceled)

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises: a flash memory element for storing captured data; at least one data transfer element for encrypting and transmitting captured data to an end device for analysis; and, a plurality of I/O channels for hosting one or more sensor elements.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein captured data is transmitted to an end device at predetermined time intervals using at least one of WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth connectivity wherein the end device comprises at least one of a smart phone, smart tablet, and a data server.

28. (canceled)

29. A method for hearing protection and noise recording using a hearing protection and noise recording system, the method comprising: collecting external noise and in-ear noise using one or more microphones; converting the signal output from the one or more microphones to one or more digital signals; processing the one or more digital signals using a controller; attenuating external noise levels using at least one of passive noise attenuation and active noise attenuation to a predetermined target attenuation; and, recording at least one of in-ear noise levels and external noise levels in the form of raw data or processed data output from the controller wherein the recorded output is transmitted at predetermined intervals to an end device.

30-32. (canceled)

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the target attenuation is a noise level that is lower than the external noise level by up to 30 dB.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of determining that the hearing protection and noise recording system is not being used in compliance with standard operating procedures if the difference between the external noise level and the in-ear noise level is less than the target attenuation.

35. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of monitoring neurological response of the auditory system to external noise using coherent fNIRS and correlating neurological response to hearing loss.

36. (canceled)

37. A hearing protection system for a dog, the system comprising: a noise reduction element to attenuate external noise to a predetermined in-ear threshold noise level; a plurality of comparators for sampling external noise and in-ear noise data generated by the noise reduction element and operably connected to a controller wherein the controller controls the operation of the hearing protection system; and, a communication element opearably connected to the controller and configured to enable the dog's handler to communicate with the dog wherein the communication element comprises a bypass element to enable the handler to bypass noise reduction and transmit commands to the dog at frequencies greater than about 10 kHz.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the noise reduction element comprises at least one of a passive noise reduction element capable of increasing attenuation of external noise as the external noise level increases and an active noise cancellation subsystem.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the communication element comprises at least one of a radio, a radio receiver, a Bluetooth communication device, a wireless communication device, an antenna, and a user interface unit.

40. (canceled)

41. The system of claim 37 wherein the communication element is further configured to unencrypt commands at the dog's ear to the audible frequency range of between about 100 Hz and about 4 kHz.

42. The system of claim 37 wherein the noise reduction element is configured to fit in-ear.

43. The system of claim 37 wherein the noise reduction element is configured to fit over-the-ear.

44. The system of claim 1 wherein the end device comprises at least one of a smart phone, smart tablet, and a data server.

45. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to use machine learning to improve the noise reduction capability of the system.

46. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one analog to digital converter comprises at least one of a coder-decoder and a plurality of comparators.

47. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of transmitting the recorded output at predetermined intervals to an end device using at least one of WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth connectivity wherein the end device comprises at least one of a smart phone, smart tablet, and a data server.

48. The method of claim 29 further comprising the step of predicting hearing loss using the collected external noise and in-ear noise data of a user of the system.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0018] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this disclosure will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019] FIG. 1. An exemplary Field Microphone-in-Real-Ear (F-MIRE) system (prior art).

[0020] FIG. 2. Sound levels for military noise sources.

[0021] FIG. 3. Canine hearing threshold for left and right ears.

[0022] FIG. 4. Typical performance of passive noise reduction devices. Takeoff noise of a Cessna 172RG Cutlass airplane (top). Noise reduction by passive devices (bottom).

[0023] FIG. 5. Improved low frequency noise reduction. Unattenuated (top), passive noise reduction (middle) and attenuation using a combination of passive and with ANC system (bottom).

[0024] FIGS. 6A and 6B depict a schematic diagram of an exemplary in-ear hearing protection, and recording system, and a schematic diagram of an exemplary low-power hearing protection and recording system, respectively.

[0025] FIGS. 7A and 7B depict an exemplary ANC canine hearing protection system and components, and a cross sectional drawing of an exemplary ANC canine hearing protection system, respectively.

[0026] FIGS. 8A and 8B shows perspective views of an exemplary hearing protection, and communication systems for canines worn over the ear and in-ear, respectively.

[0027] FIG. 9. Schematic diagram of an active noise cancellation sub-system.

[0028] FIG. 10. Perspective view of over-the-ear device for canines with ear-muff and hard shell.

[0029] FIG. 11. Perspective view of an in-ear device for canines with a soft hood.

[0030] All reference numerals, designators and callouts in the figures are hereby incorporated by this reference as if fully set forth herein. The failure to number an element in a figure is not intended to waive any rights. Unnumbered references may also be identified by alpha characters in the figures and appendices.

[0031] The following detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the disclosed systems and methods may be practiced. These embodiments, which are to be understood as “examples” or “options,” are described in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized or structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

[0032] In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used to include one or more than one, and the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive “or” unless otherwise indicated. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein, and not otherwise defined, is for the purpose of description only and not of limitation. For construing the scope of the term “about,” the error bounds associated with the values (dimensions, operating conditions etc.) disclosed is ±10% of the values indicated in this disclosure. The word “substantially” used before a specific word includes the meanings “considerable in extent to that which is specified,” and “largely but not wholly that which is specified.” In addition, “sound” and “noise” may be interchangeably used.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE

[0033] Particular aspects of the invention are described below in considerable detail for the purpose for illustrating its principles and operation. However, various modifications may be made, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exemplary aspects described.

[0034] A schematic diagram of an exemplary in-ear hearing protection and recording system 600 (“HPRS”) is shown in FIG. 6A. System 600 may be controlled using controller 601. An exemplary controller 601 may comprise the Bluetooth 4.2 enabled BGM121 microcontroller manufactured by Silicon Labs. Controller 601 is preferably 6.5×6.5×1.4 mm in size and has the capability to run end-user applications on-board or alternatively used as a network co-processor over one of the host interfaces. Other controllers may comprise Arduino or STM32 microcontrollers or possibly more capable microprocessor systems with multiple cores such as a Raspberry Pi controller, and could also be utilized at the expense of power and size. Controller 601 provides for multiple analog/digital inputs and outputs that enable integration of additional sensing capabilities using a plurality of sensors 606 to correlate at least one of hearing capability, noise levels, and noise reduction with physiological parameters and to improve the performance of the HPRS system. Controller 601 is a System-on-Chip (SoC) that has an integrated radio that supports hardware encryption. Controller 601 communicates with CODEC 607 via a serial bus, preferably with a resolution of at least 12 bits and at atleast about 44 K samples/second. A codec may encode a data stream or a signal for transmission or storage, possibly in encrypted form, and also decode the encoding for playback or editing. A CODEC such as the Analog Devices ADAU1772 or ADAU1777 may be employed to digitize multiple analog microphone signals from external microphone 602 and internal microphone 603 and stream data to and from serial ports on controller 601. While increasing power consumption, this capability combined with its Pulse Width Modulation output enables data collection to support analysis of the acoustic response of the ear. Internal (in-ear) microphone 603 may be placed either in the ear plug or inside a headset to measure a signal which is representative of the noise exposure level inside of the hearing protection device). Ouput signals/information from the microphones may be processed by a controller module, captured/stored, and may be used to drive a speaker to transmit desired sounds and/or a noise canceling signal. The controller module may either be embedded in the earplug or reside in an external wearable module which can be attached to clothing and communicate with the earplug via a cable or wireless means. System 600 may include at least 16 MB flash memory for secondary storage 608. Stored data may be encrypted prior to transmission via Bluetooth or wireless communication to a smart phone or other devices for data capture and analysis. The flash secondary storage provides the system over a 24-hour period with a 194 byte per second data density, which can be increased by reducing the frequency at which the data is logged. In addition, a 32 MB memory may be used if a larger form factor may be accommodated. Finally, controller 601 may generate a control signal to be used to drive an acoustic source 609 such a Peerless 50 mm headphone speaker using the digital CODEC 607. Controller 601 may comprise embedded analog-to-digital and/or digital-to-analog capability, in which case, an external CODEC is not required. Digital devices such as an Arduino or STM32 Microcontroller may be operably connected to CODEC 607 via a digital data bus 613 to provide bidirectional communication and general purpose I/O channels may be used to interface with a variety of devices such as physiological sensors. Controller 601 output may include, but is not limited to, external noise and in-ear noise, and ouput of the at least one sensor element. which may be in the form of digitized output from the coder-decoder element. The controller may also extract stored data and use it to continuously improve the noise reduction capability of the system, for example, using predictive tools such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.

[0035] Additional I/O channels may be available on controller 601 to support one or more sensors 606. For example, addition of an accelerometer may provide valuable insights into the user's activity (e.g. running, sitting, jumping) profile. Similar systems in cell phones have shown to accurately classify user activities. The digital outputs from one or more of these sensors may be converted to analog output using converter 607, which may be an on-chip peripheral of controller 601. For example, an acoustic source 609 (when triggered by codec 607) may be used for measurement of acoustic power flow or impedance. With inclusion of a miniature acoustic source 609, system 600 may provide measurement of auditory function (e.g., otoacoustics emission or middle ear impedance). The acoustic source may be used to identify unusual conditions such as ear drum perforations and capture information related to health of the tympanic membrane and external auditory meatus. A miniature deadphone speaker for example may be used to drive a known signal and amplitude and phase changes may be calculated to measure acoustic impedance. Measurement of acoustic power flow and normalized impedance may help to identify unusual conditions such as eardrum perforations. The acoustic source may also be used to capture information related to the functionality of the tympanic membrane, external auditory meatus (outer ear canal), and the ossicular chain. In another exemplary aspect of system 600, sensors that measure temperature and pulse co-oximetry may be added to correlate the outputs of these sensors to performance of the system and auditory health of the user. Other sensors such as a GPS sensor and a camera may also be used to provide position location information. Pulse oximetry non-invasively measures the oxygen saturation (SaO.sub.2) of hemoglobin in arterial blood or the average amount of oxygen bound to each hemoglobin molecule. Optical or electrode sensors may also be use to measure Brainstem Evoked Auditory Response as a way of measuring the response of the auditory system to environmental noise. Data (e.g. noise levels, sensor outputs) in the form of raw data or processed data output from the controller 601 may be recorded/stored in storage device 608. System 600 may also use utilize two or more microphones to continuously capture and record external noise and in-ear noise measurements and to enable noise reduction using the non-linear passive and active noise reduction methods disclosed herein.

[0036] In another exemplary HPRS 620 (FIG. 6B), the analog outputs of external microphone 602 and internal microphone 603 may be sampled by low power comparators 604 and 605 respectively. A comparator may convert the analog voltage signal from a microphone to digital output. These comparators would replace CODEC 607. The Silicon Labs BGM121 is an example of processor that has been optimized for low power (approximately less than 100 mW). A low power HPRS may be used when its primary use is to monitor and reduce noise levels. The comparators are preferably on-chip peripherals of controller 601 and may sample at either 8 or 16 bits in low or medium power mode. Preferably, controller 601 has the capability to stay in sleep mode while the comparators 604 and 605 are accumulating data, which extends the life of one or more rechargeable batteries (not shown in FIG. 6B) that powers system 620. In the low power mode, system 620 may operate for several days between charging of the battery power supply. System 620 may be able to sample and store data over several days by collecting data at a low sample rate. This data may be used to verify compliance related use of the system, and provide a time record of both continuous and impulse noise. Advanced analysis of the acoustic data collected by the auditory system may also be supported. The system is capable of sampling and generating signals at audio rates (typically 44.1 kHz) to support periodic intervals of data collection. As previously described, system 620 may have multiple general purpose I/O lines to support the addition of other sensors (e.g. acceleration and/or heat) and also drive sound sources for acoustic characterization of the auditory system. These alternate options may require higher power consumption which may limit use to several hours before recharging. Addition of a behind-the-ear unit (similar to a hearing aid) could host at least one of additional sensors, memory and power modules. A behind-the-ear unit would not interfere with use of standard headphones or other gear typically worn by the warfightermilitary or law enforcement.

[0037] System 600 or 620 may be completely sealed and wire (cord) free; that is, one or more batteries in system 600 may be recharged wirelessly inductive coil 610 that may be energized using an external inductive battery charger. Data (microphone outputs, sensor outputs) may be processed by controller 601 and recorded and stored in temporary local memory in system 600 or 620 and recorded data may be downloaded to one or more secondary storage devices 608. Examples of storage device 608, include, but is not limited to, flash memory cards such as secured digital (SD) cards and micro SD cards and storage drives such as solid state drives (SSD). Alternately, storage 608 may be located in mobile devices such as smart phones, tablets, and the like, which are configured to communicate with system 600 or 620 using wireless protocols such as Bluetooth. Alternately, recorded data from the system 600 or 620 may be downloaded to one or remote server via the internet. One or more mobile devices may access downloaded data using wired or wireless communication methods. A suitable application program (“app”) operable on the one or more mobile devices may be used to authenticate and permit access and communication between the one or more mobile devices and one or more remote server. System 600 may maintain a running log of timestamped external and internal sound levels and the time of exposure.

[0038] Impulse noise levels from small arms, artillery and mortar fire can exceed 180 dB, which is well above the dynamic range and peak noise levels of between about 120 dB to about 130 dB of available miniature microphones. To enable the use of miniature microphones, nonlinear components may be used to compress high noise levels. Inner ear measurement may be extrapolated to infer impulse peak levels, and passive materials may be used to compress sound levels.

[0039] System 600 may further comprise at least one communication element 612 (e.g. microphone, radio system) operably connected to controller 601 and configured to provide bidirectional communication between the user of the HPRS system and a third party.

[0040] In an exemplary in-ear recording and hearing protection system, an optical neural sensor component may be used in addition to system 600. The optical neural component may comprise a classical electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor, or a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) system, in a wearable form factor (similar to a behind-the-ear hearing aid or headset mounted device) that may record and timestamp neurological response of the auditory system to environmental (external) noise and enable identification of any deterioration in hearing. Traditional audiological methods assess a range of neurophysiological responses to auditory stimuli using electrophysiological and psychoacoustic tests and have limited utility outside a controlled laboratory testing environment. Classic electrophysiological methods typically include auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) elicited by pure tones and complex stimuli, the frequency following response (FFR) elicited by voiced speech and complex auditory stimuli, and optoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) to assess cochlear function, while psychoacoustic tests probe hearing detection thresholds. While these tests provide well-characterized measures for quantifying neural responses elicited by controlled stimuli, they are challenging to implement in field-deployable devices because of artifacts generated by muscles, movement, and environmental noise. Recent advances by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) in non-invasive Brain Computer Interfaces offer the possibility to better characterize neural activity in the brain through optical neural imaging. Since fNIRS uses simple near-IR lasers, it can readily be miniaturized to be compatible with a wearable format.

[0041] fNIRS is a noninvasive functional neuro-imaging method that tracks changes in signal propagation of diffuse light sources at near-infrared wavelengths through biological tissue. fNIRS can monitor hemodynamic activity in the brain by tracking absorption spectra of oxygenated and de-oxygenated hemoglobin. The use of fNIR and fMRI methods as functional imaging methods relies on the principle of neuro-vascular coupling also known as the hemodynamic response or blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) response. Through neuro-vascular coupling, neuron activity is linked to related changes in localized cerebral blood flow. fNIR has several advantages in cost and portability over fMRI. The spatial resolution of fNIRS is on the order of about 1 cm with up to 1.5 cm signal penetration depth. Skin, tissue, and bone are mostly transparent to NIR light in the spectrum of 700 nm to 900 nm, while hemoglobin (Hb) and deoxygenated-hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) are stronger absorbers of light. Differences in the absorption spectra of deoxy-Hb and oxy-Hb allow the measurement of relative changes in hemoglobin concentration through the use of light attenuation at multiple wavelengths. Two or more wavelengths are selected, with one wavelength above and one below the isosbestic point of 810 nm at which deoxy-Hb and oxy-Hb have identical absorption coefficients. Using the modified Beer-Lambert law (mBLL), relative concentration can be calculated as a function of total photon path length. Typically, the light emitter and detector are placed ipsilaterally on the subject's skull such that recorded measurements are due to back-scattered (reflected) light following elliptical pathways. Studies relating fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and fNIR show highly correlated results in cognitive tasks. Multiplexing fNIRS channels may allow 2D topographic functional maps of brain activity (e.g. with Hitachi ETG-4000 or Artinis Oxymon) while using multiple emitter spacings may be used to build 3D tomographic maps. While resolution on the order of centimeters is considered low compared to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), it is well suited for integrating over auditory cortex with a low number of channels.

[0042] Recently, JHU/APL have utilized coherent processing methods to improve the resolution (3-5 mm) of fNIRS to approach that of fMRI increasing the potential utility of fNIRS. A coherent fNIRS sensor may be compactly integrated into a comprehensive solution for monitoring noise exposure and auditory function using a combination of in-ear sources and headband-located detectors for targeting the auditory cortex. In combination with auditory monitoring methods used in neo-natal intensive care units (NICU) environments, this system may provide data to support development of models characterizing the complex relationship between environmental noise exposure and hearing injury. Improved understanding of the relationship between noise exposure and auditory processing would, in turn, allow us to better protect hearing with user-friendly, comfortable devices and interventions. In contrast to electrophysiological and psychoacoustic auditory tests, fNIRS is ideally suited for measuring cortical and metabolic responses to environmental auditory stimuli in a field-deployable wearable device. A fNIRS system is less sensitive to motion and muscle artifacts than traditional electro-physiological sensors and can be packaged into a wearable mobile device.

[0043] In the exemplary systems disclosed above, hearing protection, that is, noise attenuation, may be achieved by using passive and active noise reduction components and methods. The entire disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 9,654,854 entitled “In-ear device incorporating active noise reduction,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,786 entitled “Active noise cancellation aircraft headset system,” U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2015/0294662 entitled “Selective Noise-Cancelling Earphone,” U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2012/0014532 entitled “Noise Canceling Headphone,” U.S. Pat. No. 7,058,368 entitled “Adaptive feedforward noise cancellation circuit,” U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2002/0141599 entitle “Active noise canceling headset and devices with selective noise suppression,” are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

[0044] Compliance with standard operating protocols may be determined using several factors. For example, the HPRS is typically expected to reduce external noise by about 20 dBA to about 30 dBA (“target attenuation”); however, due to variations associated with in fit of the device in or on the ear, the actual reduction may be somewhat lower. If the collected data for a particular user or system shows that the difference between the external noise level and in-ear noise level is less than the target attenuation, the data suggests a non-compliance event and corrective action may be taken. In addition, data from optional sensors such as body temperature sensors and ambient temperature sensors may also be examined to determine whether the HPRS was being worn by the user during a non-compliance event. A suitable decision matrix may be developed and implemented to determine user compliance with standard operating protocols of the HPRS. Non-compliance data may be used during assessment of any claims for damages brought by a user who asserts loss of hearing due to work environment. In addition, collected data profiles may be used to predict hearing loss of the user also.

[0045] Wearing/not wearing a HPRS by a user may also be determined using protocols that require monitoring of compliance related to wearing of the HPRS. Signals from a radio frequency unit in the HPRS may be connected by land line/mobile phone to a receiving base unit in a fixed location (e.g. workplace or third party monitoring location) and transmitted to a third-party service center who may monitors wearing/not wearing, tampering, breaking etc. GPS type monitoring may also be used.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary in-ear noise reduction (IER) system 700 designed for canines. System 700 includes a removable foam insert or ear phone tip 701 (e.g. Comply™ insert sold by Hearing Components, Inc.). Microphone 702 may be integrated into ear plug 701. Housing 703 may be 3D printed, molded or machined and houses the sensor components such as an acoustic power source.

[0047] In an exemplary hearing protection, and communication system for animals such as military working dogs (MWD), the system may be designed to fit in-ear or over-the-ear (FIG. 8). The system may comprise a noise reduction element to attenuate external noise to a predetermined in-ear threshold noise level, a plurality of comparators for sampling external noise and in-ear noise data generated by the noise reduction element and operably connected to a controller wherein the controller controls the operation of the hearing protection system, and a communication element opearably connected to the controller and configured to enable the dog's handler to communicate with the dog. The communication element may comprise a bypass element to enable the handler to bypass noise reduction and transmit commands to the dog at frequencies greater than about 10 kHz, the hearing frequency range of dogs. Commands may be preferably transmitted at frequencies greater than 20 kHz. At these frequencies, ambient noise levels are lower. Further, at these frequencies, sound is inaudible or minimally audible to the human ear. Commands may be processed using speech filtering methods to eliminate background noise. The noise reduction element may comprise at least one of passive a noise reduction element capable of increasing attenuation of external noise as the external noise level increases and an active noise cancellation subsystem. The communication element may comprise at least one of a radio, radio receiver, a Bluetooth communication device, a wireless communication device, an antenna, and a user interface unit. The system may further comprise a recording element configured to record output from the controller. The communication element may be further configured to unencrypt commands at the dog's ear to the audible frequency range of between about 100 Hz and about 4 kHz. The exemplary system may comprise an in-ear system. The system may comprise an over-the-ear system.

[0048] Further, the system preferably provides for communication between the handler and the MWD. A combination of passive and active noise cancellation technologies may provide noise attenuation across the entire acoustic spectrum and reach the 20 dB to 30 dB of noise reduction target across the canine hearing range. In addition to the recording aspects previously disclosed, an exemplary hearing protection, recording and communication system for MWD's may comprise at least one or more of the following components or capabilities:

[0049] (A) Passive Noise Reduction Element for High Frequency Noise Attenuation

[0050] The performance of passive noise attenuation components relies primarily on two factors, namely (1) selection of materials that effectively attenuate sound wherein a significant trade-off is made between weight of the material and performance, in particular, at lower frequencies. Heavy, ridged materials provide the best attenuation but increase overall weight. For this reason, typical passive systems are designed with a hard, plastic shell lined with lightweight acoustic foam, and (2) maintaining an effective seal between the headset (or earplug) and the dog's body. For over-the ear designs, FIG. 8A, a mesh webbing or fabric sleve that holds the earmuff in place and maintains positive pressure is essential. The primary components of the passive hearing component for the over-ear prototype are a conformable outer shell, internal foam backing and material for creating a seal between the headset and dog's head. The size and shape of the dog's outer ear and the need to maintain a good seal against fur may require at least one of using deeper, more compliant, foam components, modifying the material that covers the foam to better couple through the fur and onto the skin, and, the potential for using a modified ultrasound transmission gel that would provide a better seal, without irritating the MWD. Exemplary gel materials include viscous, low volatility, gel materials that would enhance the seal between the compliant foam and the dog's skin.

[0051] For in-ear configurations, FIG. 8B, preferably materials that expand to fill the cavity of the ear are employed to maintain a seal. The canine ear canal has a vertical and horizontal region and is L-shaped. The in-ear foam earplug should preferably be designed not to extend into the junction region between vertical and horizontal canal because it may be quite painful to the dog and can impact its hearing ability. The outer ear includes the pinna, which is designed to funnel sound to the ear canal. The pinnae are mobile, and a dog has much greater mobility of the outer ear compared with humans. Due to these structural differences, dogs have greater sound sensitivity over a broad frequency range compared to humans. In FIG. 8, the signal processor, radio receiver, and power supply 801 is held in place using a collar 802. Alternatively, the electronics module can be located on a vest worn by the dog.

[0052] (B) Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) Element

[0053] This element (or sub-system) comprises: (1) a feedback microphone component to sense noise levels at the ear for anti-noise generation, which is preferably optimized for a dog's hearing range. Adaptive digital processing or analog processing algorithms are comparable to that used in ANC systems for human use, and (2) a feedforward component to sense loud impulse noise and shut off ANC. When the ANC is turned off, noise attenuation is by passive mode. An adaptive ANC system will typically utilize both the feedforward and feedback microphone in generating the anti-noise signal. Unlike ANC systems suitable for human use, in canine (e.g. MWD) hearing protection systems, the feedforward signal can consist of components that are out of the range of normal human hearing and allows a handler to communicate acoustically with the dog (e.g. use a dog whistle) without compromising the effectiveness of the noise reduction. Alternately, pre-recorded commands, for example, a command that makes the dog to sit and stay still, may be transmitted to the animal triggered by shut-off of the ANC sub-system or component due to an impulse noise. Additionally, the system can utilize compression methods to lessen the overall gain as noise levels increase. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary ANC sub-system 900. A residual noise microphone 901 is used to measure noise levels representative of levels at the tympanic membrane in the ear. The feedforward microphone 902 senses noise outside of the hearing protection device. The ANC controller 903 uses feedback and/or feedforward protocols to calculate an inverse signal proportional to the noise, which is sent to speaker 905. Sound from the speaker (anti-noise) mixes with the noise to produce the noise reduction effect. For low frequency noise, the correlation time of the noise signal is significantly greater than the delay of the electronics and the transfer function is stable over time. Most commercially available ANC headsets utilize this approach, typically using analog electronics for low cost and power consumption. Adaptive filtering methods can be used to continuously account for variations in the systems response. Characteristics of the dog's ear may introduce complexities that may require adaptive digital signal processing. The feed forward microphone 902 also detects loud impulse noises and can stop operation of the ANC controller to prevent instabilities due to noise saturation. Variable gain may also be used to adjust the level on sound that is allowed to pass through the filter. Under these conditions when the ANC feature is disabled, noise attenuation may be achieved primarily by using the passive components of the hearing system. Further, the ANC controller may compress sound during intervals when the handler is communicating with the canine. As with the feedback system, this can be implemented with analog electronics. An ANC controller 903 that combines feed forward and feed-back modes may improve performance over only feedback mode and may require the use of a digital control system as previously described.

[0054] (C) Short-Range Communications Sub-System

[0055] A miniature radio receiver 904 with a frequency ranges such as 225-450 MHz, 1250-1390 MHz, and 1750-1850 MHz may be built into the collar unit 801 and may communicate with a Rifleman Radio or alternately using frequencies compatible with Bluetooth or WiFi to another suitable communication device. Similarly, frequency range of 30 to 512 MHz may be used to communicate with the Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR). A simplified antenna may be built into the collar unit to enable short distance communication (approximately 50 meters) between the dog and the handler. The Rifleman Radio has 50 preset channels and 5 talk groups per preset, while the MBITR has 100 preset channels and menu selectable talk groups. In the exemplary hearing protection and recording system for dogs, for ease of use, the dog's receiver may be assigned to a single talk group comprising the handler and the dog to prevent the dog from becoming confused by other radio chatter.

[0056] (D) User Interface/Controller

[0057] A user interface such as the Invisio V50 (made by Invisio Communications, Denmark) may be configured such that a set of push buttons may be preset to select voice or radio communication between the handler to the dog. A handler may assign the dog's talk group to an unused or less used push to talk (PTT) button on the user interface. for communication with the dog. Alternately, a simple single radio connection for the handler may be used with a PTT button to communicate with the dog. The interface is preferably capable of providing the following features: (a) integrate existing and covert operational communications systems to support stand-alone and unit operations; (b) capable of communicating with MWD and handler's group (humans), with communication with MWD assigned to separate PTT group; (c) bypass capability that allows the handler to bypass noise reduction to allow the handler to provide commands to the MWD. Features of bypass include: (1) compressing speech and mixing a radio signal into an active control signal or command. It may be difficult to filter undesired signal because an open microphone reduces communication effectiveness and increases noise levels, and (2) compressing and passing acoustic commands to the MWD at higher frequencies where noise levels are about 20 dB and 40 dB below background noise, and outside human hearing, which is less than about 20 kHz. Use of high frequency commands will not only improve the ability of the MWD to interpret commands in a noisy environment but also provide covert communication capability. Dogs can hear up to about 45 kHz (compared to about 20 kHz for humans). Most ambient noises roll off at about 10 kHz. By transmitting at higher frequencies, background noise is minimized, and the dog should be able to hear sounds that are out of the range of human hearing. Options for direct acoustic or radio communication will enable on-leash or off-leash and single handler or team operations.

[0058] (E) Optional Features of System 800

[0059] As previously described, real-time measurements of brain activity could be used to monitor hearing performance or measure the cognitive state of the dog. For example, a mapping of brain activity to external triggers may be used to provide a signal that allows a handler to determine whether the dog has detected something of interest, for example, like an explosive. The handler may also detect if the dog is getting tired or overloaded and needs rest. As an alternative to monitoring brain activity, the heart rate and body temperature (for example, inside the ear) of the dog may be measured and correlated to the dog's response to an external event (psychoacoustic responses) in instances where the dog's bark may not be heard by the handler when the dog is off-leash.

[0060] A critical requirement for effective noise dampening in canines is a tight seal between the ear and the device that allows the canine to tolerate the device to carry out its mission. In addition to providing hearing protection, the device also provides for communication between the handler and the canine (MWD) and this communication may be encrypted. In an exemplary over-the-ear device (ear muffs), sound dampening may be realized using both active and passive components as previously described. Communication may be encrypted such that a message sent from a handler device is transmitted at an acoustic frequency out of the range of human hearing and is unencrypted at the ear muff to the audible frequency range of speech of about 100 Hz and about 4 kHz. The frequency of human speech largely ranges between about 2 kHz and about 4 kHz. For MWD's, over-the-ear devices may be problematic due to one or more of the following reasons: attenuation of lower frequencies (100 Hz to 1000 Hz) may be difficult because of sealing issues, devices may be heavy and bulky and interfere with a typical military-style cage muzzle used on the MWD, and the encryption frequency may require the dog to be very close and in line-of-sight of the handler.

[0061] In another exemplary over-the-ear device (ear muffs) 1000, sound dampening is realized using only passive components (FIG. 10). To obtain effective seals between the device and the ears of the MWD, a neoprene hood 1001 with hard shell muffs 1002 was used. Noise attenuation of the lower frequencies (100 Hz to 1000 Hz) was found to be ineffective. Hard ear muffs, for example, commercially available Mutt Muffs™ and 4 Paws Aviation™ muffs do not stay on correctly to provide an effective seal when the system used in tactical situations, for example, when the dog is running.

[0062] In another exemplary over-the-ear device 1100 (FIG. 11), the neoprene hood is retained for fit and compression, but the hard shells are replaced with acoustic foam sides to form a completely soft hood. Various commercial acoustic foams were tested and down selected to provide attenuation at low frequency (100 to 1000 Hz). Hood materials other than neoprene may be used to avoid over heating making the MWD uncomfortable.

[0063] In-ear devices (ear plugs) pose challenges related to MWD use. They may be hard to insert/fit for canines. Canine ear canals are different for different breeds and may require individual molds. They have the tendency to introduce dirt and bacteria into the ear canal. An exemplary in-ear passive device comprises a neoprene hood 1101 and acoustic foam ear pieces 1102 (FIG. 11). The ears may be outfitted with extra soft foam ear outlines. Noise attenuation of the lower frequencies (100 Hz to 1000 Hz) was found to be effective and ANC components may be added to the device. Foam inserts comprise an acoustically, audiologically, and otology-safe foams that may be used to cover the internal electronics and provide a good fit in the canine ear canal. Individual ear molds may be used to fabricate inserts that anchor and stabilize the insert the ear canal of the dog. Communication components may also be integrated into this device.

[0064] The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), to allow the reader to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It should not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

[0065] Although the present disclosure has been described in connection with the preferred form of practicing it, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that many modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the disclosure in any way be limited by the above description.

[0066] It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the disclosure. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that this disclosure is intended to yield a patent covering numerous aspects of the disclosure both independently and as an overall system and in both method and apparatus modes.

[0067] Further, each of the various elements of the disclosure and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an implementation of any apparatus implementation, a method or process implementation, or even merely a variation of any element of these.

[0068] Particularly, it should be understood that the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this disclosure is entitled. It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates.

[0069] In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in at least one of a standard technical dictionary recognized by artisans and the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, latest edition are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0070] Further, the use of the transitional phrase “comprising” is used to maintain the “open-end” claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that variations such as “comprises” or “comprising,” are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive forms so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible.