Abstract: An earpiece includes: a first end; a second end opposite from the first end; a first channel extending from a first location that is closer to the first end than to the second end, to a second location that is closer to the second end than to the first end; and a first diaphragm, wherein the first diaphragm has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface of the diaphragm configured to be in fluid communication with a lumen in the first channel, wherein the first diaphragm extends in a direction that is parallel to, or that forms an acute angle with, a longitudinal axis of the first channel.

Abstract: A signal converter includes a magnetic circuit, a diaphragm, a first coil, a second coil, and a variable resistor. The magnetic circuit has a magnetic gap. The diaphragm is disposed over an opening of the magnetic circuit. The first coil is disposed in the magnetic gap and configured to output an electrical signal based on vibration of the diaphragm. The second coil is disposed in the magnetic gap and configured to brake the diaphragm. The variable resistor is connected to a first end and a second end of the second coil and configured to form a closed loop circuit together with the second coil.

Abstract: An audio processing apparatus includes a preprocessor which extracts a voice-band signal from a first electric signal, and outputs a first output signal containing the voice-band signal; a first controller which generates a first amplification coefficient for multiplying with the first output signal to compress a dynamic range of an intensity of the first output signal, and generates a first modified amplification coefficient by smoothing the first amplification coefficient with a first time constant; and a first multiplier which multiplies the first modified amplification coefficient and the first output signal. The first time constant is a first rise time constant when the intensity increases, and is a first decay time constant when the intensity decreases. The first rise time constant is not less than a temporal resolution of hearing of a hearing-impaired person, and is less than a duration time of sound which induces recruitment in the hearing-impaired person.

Abstract: Acoustic activity detection is provided herein. Operations of a method can include receiving an acoustic signal at a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) microphone. Based on portions of the acoustic signal being determined to exceed a threshold signal level, output pulses are generated. Further, the method can include extracting information representative of a frequency of the acoustic signal based on respective spacing between rising edges of the output pulses.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel including configured to display an image and a sound generating device on a rear surface of the display panel, the sound generating device being configured to vibrate the display panel to generate sound. The sound generating device includes a first structure and a second structure over or under the first structure, the second structure including a first part having a piezoelectric characteristic and a second part between adjacent first parts to have flexibility.

Abstract: A speaker array includes a first speaker device having a first membrane and a first acoustic channel, the first membrane being configured to oscillate and generate a first ultrasonic acoustic signal configured to be transmitted at least partially in the first acoustic channel, the first acoustic channel including at least one dimension comparable to a dimension of a viscous boundary layer of air. A second speaker device includes a second membrane and a second acoustic channel, the second membrane being configured to oscillate and generate a second ultrasonic acoustic signal configured to be transmitted at least partially in the second acoustic channel, the second acoustic channel including at least one dimension comparable to the dimension of the viscous boundary layer of air. An audio output of the speaker array is the combined output of at least the first speaker device and the second speaker device.

Abstract: Example techniques may involve performing aspects of a spatial calibration. An example implementation may include detecting a trigger condition that initiates calibration of a media playback system including multiple audio drivers that form multiple sound axes, each sound axis corresponding to a respective channel of multi-channel audio content The implementation may also include causing the multiple audio drivers to emit calibration audio that is divided into constituent frames, the multiple sound axes emitting calibration audio during respective slots of each constituent frame. The implementation may further include recording the emitted calibration audio. The implementation may include causing delays for each sound axis of the multiple sound axes to be determined, the determined delay for each sound axis based on the slots of recorded calibration audio corresponding to the sound axes and causing the multiple sound axes to be calibrated.

Abstract: A hearing aid and a method performed by a hearing aid including at least one microphone unit, an accelerometer unit, and a processor. The method performed by the hearing aid includes generating a processed microphone signal including attenuating the microphone signal in accordance with an attenuation value; wherein the attenuation value is based on a measure of correlation between a microphone signal from the microphone unit and an acceleration signal from the accelerometer unit. The hearing aid instantly reduces noise arising from mechanical handling of the hearing aid based on input from the microphone unit and the accelerometer unit.

Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed for facilitating efficient calibration of filters for correcting room and/or speaker-based distortion and/or binaural imbalances in audio reproduction, and/or for producing three-dimensional sound in stereo system environments. According to some embodiments, using a portable device such as a smartphone or tablet, a user can calibrate speakers by initiating playback of a test signal, detecting playback of the test signal with the portable device's microphone, and repeating this process for a number of speakers and/or device positions (e.g., next to each of the user's ears). A comparison can be made between the test signal and the detected signal, and this can be used to more precisely calibrate rendering of future signals by the speakers.

Abstract: A hearing device includes a housing elongated along a longitudinal axis, having an oval cross section, and configured to house electrical components. A loudspeaker disposed outside the housing in an intended wearing state of the hearing device is interconnected with at least a part of the electrical components. A plug connector is connected to the loudspeaker and carries at least six contact elements for interconnecting the loudspeaker with corresponding electrical components. A plug connector receptacle for receiving the plug connector interconnects the contact elements. The plug connector receptacle is disposed in a surface of the housing oriented toward a lower side in the intended wearing state. The plug connector and the plug connector receptacle define a plug-in direction extending from a front side to a rear side in the intended wearing state.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are example techniques to facilitate calibrating a portable playback device. An example implementation involves determining that a playback device is to perform an equalization calibration of the playback device and initiating the equalization calibration. Initiating the equalization calibration involves (i) outputting audio content, (ii) capturing audio data representing reflections of the audio content within an area in which the playback device is located, (iii) determining an acoustic response of the area in which the playback device is located, (iv) selecting a stored acoustic response from the acoustic response database that is most similar to the determined acoustic response of the area in which the playback device is located, and (v) applying to the audio content, via the playback device, a set of stored audio calibration settings associated with the selected stored acoustic area response.

Abstract: Presented herein are techniques for generating a hierarchical classification of a set of sound signals received at hearing prosthesis. The hierarchical classification includes a plurality of nested classifications of a sound environment associated with the set of sound signals received at hearing prosthesis, including a primary classification and one or more secondary classifications that each represent different characteristics of the sound environment. The primary classification represents a basic categorization of the sound environment, while the secondary classifications define sub-categories/refinements of the associated primary classification and/or other secondary classifications.

Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image and a plurality of vibration generating devices on a rear surface of the display panel, the display panel being at least one of a vibration plate configured to output sound and a vibration plate configured to output a haptic vibration. Each of the plurality of vibration generating devices includes a first electrode under the display panel, a piezoelectric member under the first electrode, a damping member in a periphery the piezoelectric member, and a second electrode under the piezoelectric member.

Abstract: A device, including an implantable microphone, including a transducer, and a chamber in which a gas is located such that vibrations originating external to the microphone based on sound are effectively transmitted therethrough, wherein the transducer is in effective vibration communication with the gas, wherein the transducer is configured to convert the vibrations traveling via the gas to an electrical signal, the chamber and the transducer correspond to a microphone system, wherein the chamber corresponds to a front volume of the microphone system, and the transducer includes a back volume corresponding to the back volume of the microphone system, and the implantable microphone is configured to enable pressure adjustment of the front and/or back volume in real time.

Abstract: A content output device includes at least one processor and at least one communicator. The at least one communicator is configured to output a plurality of channels from the at least one processor to a plurality of audio devices signals. When the number of audio devices increases and at least one additional channel is available to be reproduced, the assigning task assigns the at least one additional channel to the increased number of audio devices and the outputting task outputs the at least one additional channel in accordance with the changed assignment of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a loudspeaker array comprising: a high frequency driver and a midrange driver forming a unitary assembly and configured to direct acoustic waves towards a listener in front of the loudspeaker array along an axis in a forward direction; at least one low frequency driver located generally rearwardly of the unitary assembly, and a woofer volume extending along and perpendicular to the axis between the at least one low frequency driver and the unitary assembly, in which the rear of the unitary assembly is configured and acoustically open so as to allow sound from the rear of the midrange driver to radiate rearwardly into the woofer volume.

Abstract: An example method of operation may include designating sub-regions which collectively provide a defined reception space, receiving audio signals at a controller from the microphone arrays in the defined reception space, configuring the controller with known locations of each of the microphone arrays, assigning each of the sub-regions to at least one of the microphone arrays based on the known locations, and creating beamform tracking configurations for each of the microphone arrays based on their assigned sub-regions.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an acoustic output apparatus including at least one acoustic driver, a controller, and a supporting structure. The at least one acoustic driver may be configured to output sounds through at least two sound guiding holes. The at least two sound guiding holes may include a first sound guiding hole and a second sound guiding hole. The controller may be configured to control a phase and an amplitude of the sounds generated by the at least one acoustic driver using a control signal such that the sounds output by the at least one acoustic driver through the first and second sound guiding holes have opposite phases. The supporting structure may be provided with a baffle and configured to support the at least one acoustic driver such that the first and second sound guiding holes are located on both sides of the baffle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to microphones and electronic devices having the same. A microphone may include a housing for receiving vibration signals; a converting component inside the housing for converting the vibration signals into electrical signals, and a processing circuit for processing the electrical signals. The converting component may include a transducer and at least one damping film attached to the transducer.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a directional awareness audio communication system and method. The system may include remote speaker/transmitting device(s) and listener/receiving device(s). The speaker/transmitting device(s) may send real-time location information with audio or separate from the audio to the listener/receiving device(s). The listener/receiving device(s) use the speaker/transmitting device(s) location information relative to the listener/receiving device location and orientation to perform audio processing on the transmitted audio signal. The listener/receiving device(s) provide the processed audio signal in stereo (i.e., at least two speakers such as left and right headphones, vehicle speakers, control center speakers, surround sound speakers, etc.) to a user of the listener/receiving device. The listener/receiving device(s) provides a warning and outputs standard audio if the real-time location information of the speaker/transmitting device(s) is unavailable or unreliable.