Abstract: A wireless earpiece includes a wireless earpiece housing, at least one microphone for detecting ambient environment sound, and a processor disposed within the wireless earpiece housing, the processor configured to distinguish between two or more sources of sound within the ambient environment sound. The wireless earpiece further includes a user interface operatively connected to the processor. The processor is configured to receive user input through the user interface to select one of the sources of sound within the ambient environment sound and wherein the processor is configured to process the ambient environment sound to emphasize portions of the ambient environment sound generated by the one of the sources of the ambient environment sound selected by the user to produce a modified sound. The earpiece may further include a speaker operatively connected to the processor to reproduce the modified sound.

Abstract: A method of providing audio feedback in response to a user performance using an earpiece includes steps of identifying a manual work operation to be performed by the user, wherein the identifying the manual work operation is performed by the earpiece, monitoring performance of the manual work operation by the user, wherein the monitoring the performance of the work operation is performed by the earpiece, generating 3D sound cues at the earpiece to assist in the performance of the manual work operation by the user, and outputting the 3D sound cues to the user at one or more speakers of the earpiece during the performance of the manual work operation by the user.

Abstract: A first device having a transceiver and an antenna operatively connected to the transceiver and a second device having a transceiver and an antenna operatively connected to the transceiver, the first device in operative communication with the first device through a communications linkage separate from the transceiver of the first device and the transceiver of the second device. The first device is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a remote device through the transceiver of the first device. The second device is adapted to wirelessly communicate with the remote device through the transceiver of the second device. The system is configured to evaluate the wireless connection between the first device and the remote device and to evaluate the wireless communication between the second device and the remote device and determine whether the first device or the second device has a better connection.

Abstract: A system for voice dictation includes an earpiece, the earpiece may include an earpiece housing sized to fit into an external auditory canal of a user and block the external auditory canal, a first microphone operatively connected to the earpiece housing and positioned to be isolated from ambient sound when the earpiece housing is fitted into the external auditory canal, a second microphone operatively connected to earpiece housing and positioned to sound external from the user, and a processor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the first microphone and the second microphone. The system may further include a software application executing on a computing device which provides for receiving the first voice audio stream into a first position of a record and receiving the second voice audio stream into a second position of the record.

Abstract: A system includes a vehicle having a vehicle network and a set of earpieces in operative communication with the vehicle network. The vehicle is configured to assign a plurality of access rights to the user of the set of earpieces based on both the identity of the user and the role of the user. A method for identifying a role of one or more users within a vehicle includes identifying one or more users within the vehicle, identifying the roles of one or more of the users within the vehicle using a set of wireless earpieces, and providing access rights to the one or more users within the vehicle in response to identification of one or more of the users within the vehicle.

Abstract: An earpiece includes a housing, a first short-range transceiver for far field communication disposed within the housing, and a second short range transceiver for near field communication disposed within the housing. The second short range transceiver for near field communications comprises an antenna formed from a plurality of coil turns. There is a battery disposed within the housing. The earpiece further includes a first generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing and a second generally planar printed circuit board disposed within the housing. There is a flexible connector between circuit boards. The battery is positioned between the first generally planar printed circuit board and the second generally planar printed circuit board. The antenna is mounted perpendicularly to the plurality of components mounted on the first generally planar printed circuit board to thereby reduce electromagnetic interference.

Abstract: An earpiece comprises an earpiece housing, a digital signal processor disposed within the ear piece housing, and at least one microphone operatively connected to the digital signal processor. The earpiece is configured to receive audio from the at least one microphone and process the audio with the digital signal processor to determine if a user has performed a tap on the earpiece. The earpiece may further include a wireless transceiver disposed within the ear piece wherein the earpiece is configured to communicate data indicative of occurrence of the tap using the wireless transceiver.

Abstract: A system, method and one or more wireless earpieces for performing self-configuration. A user is identified utilizing the one or more wireless earpieces. Noises from an environment of the user are received utilizing the one or more wireless earpieces. An audio profile associated with the noises of the environment of the user is determined. The components of the one or more wireless earpieces are automatically configured in response to the audio profile and the user identified as utilizing the one or more wireless earpieces.

Abstract: A system includes at least one earpiece having at least one sensor, at least one speaker, and at least one processor capable of ascertaining a desired position for a user's head to guide the user as to the desired position for the user's head. A method includes determining a current orientation of a user's head, calculating a desired position for the user's head in relation to the current orientation of the user's head, creating an audio signal containing instructions to guide the user as to the desired position for the user's head, and transmitting the audio signal to a user's ears.

Abstract: A system includes an autonomous vehicle with a display and a set of earpieces worn by a user in the autonomous vehicle and having an inertial sensor. A method includes sensing inertial data and health data using an inertial sensor of a set of wireless earpieces, determining an alert condition associated with a second vehicle based on the inertial data, displaying the health data, and wirelessly communicating a message to the second vehicle if the inertial data is indicative of the alert condition. A method includes sensing inertial data and health data with an inertial sensor of a wireless earpiece, determining an alert condition associated with a second vehicle based on the inertial data and the health data, displaying the health data, and wirelessly communicating a message to a set of earpieces within the second vehicle if the inertial data and the health data are indicative of the alert condition.

Abstract: An ear piece for use by an individual having an external auditory canal includes an earpiece housing configured for placement within the external auditory canal of the individual, a processor disposed within the ear piece housing, at least one microphone disposed within the earpiece housing wherein the at least one earpiece is positioned to detect ambient environmental sound, and at least one speaker disposed within the earpiece housing. The ear piece is configured to detect ambient environmental sound proximate the external auditory canal of the individual using the at least one microphone and reproduce the ambient environmental sound at the at least one speaker within the earpiece housing. The processor is further configured to modify the ambient environmental sound based on shape of the external auditory canal such that audio perception of the ambient environmental sound is as if the ear piece was not present.

Abstract: A system includes a wearable device having at least one sensor configured to determine a user's fingerprint data, at least one data storage device containing authentication data, and at least one processor configured to compare the user's fingerprint data with the authentication data to authenticate a user. A method of authenticating a wearable device includes producing a fingerprint, determining fingerprint data derived from the fingerprint with one or more sensors, comparing the fingerprint data with authentication data on one or more data storage devices, and authenticating the user if the fingerprint data and the authentication data match.

Abstract: An intelligent wireless headset system in embodiments of the present invention may have one or more of the following features: (a) a left ear portion having at least one microphone and at least one speaker associated therewith, (b) a right ear portion having at least one microphone and at least one speaker associated therewith, (c) a connecting band between the left ear portion and the right ear portion, (d) a wireless radio transceiver disposed within the intelligent wireless headset, (e) a cellular transceiver disposed within the intelligent wireless headset, (f) a headset network capable of operably coupling the intelligent wireless headset with at least one device in the headset network, (g) sensors to collect biometric information, (h) a camera for collecting video information, (i) outer speakers located on the housing, and (j) a memory for storing biometric information.

Abstract: An earpiece for use in voice dictation includes a speaker disposed within the earpiece housing, a microphone, and a processor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to the microphone and the speaker, wherein the processor is adapted to capture a voice stream from the microphone. The earpiece may further include a wireless transceiver disposed within the earpiece housing, the wireless transceiver operatively connected to the processor. The earpiece is configured to be controlled by a user through a plurality of different user interfaces to perform voice dictation.

Abstract: An earpiece includes an earpiece housing sized and shaped to block an external auditory canal of a user, at least one microphone positioned to sense ambient sound, a speaker, and a processor disposed within the earpiece housing and operatively connected to each of the at least one microphone and the speaker, wherein the processor is configured to modify the ambient sound based on user preferences to produce modified ambient sound in a first mode of operation and to produce a second sound in response to a trigger condition. The second sound may be an unmodified version of the ambient sound. The second sound may be a modified version of the ambient sound which suppresses at least a portion of the ambient sound. The second sound may be a warning sound.

Abstract: An earpiece includes an earpiece housing, wherein the earpiece housing is configured to substantially encompass an opening of an ear canal to physically block ambient sound from entering the ear canal. The earpiece further includes a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, at least one microphone operatively connected to the processor and configured to sense ambient sound, and a speaker operatively connected to the processor. The processor is configured to process the ambient sound from the microphone and add additional ambient sound to produce a modified ambient sound at the speaker.

Abstract: A method for selective sound field environment processing for one or more wireless earpieces, each of the one or more wireless earpieces including comprising a plurality of microphones is provided. The method includes receiving audio input of a sound field environment from the plurality of microphones of each of the one or more wireless earpieces, identifying background noise in the sound field environment, identifying audio from at least one sound source within the sound field environment, processing the audio input using one or more processors of at least one of the wireless earpieces to reduce the background noise and processing the audio input using one or more processors of the at least one of the wireless earpieces to enhance the audio from the at least one sound source within the sound field environment to provide processed audio, and transducing the processed audio at one or more speakers of the one or more wireless earpieces.

Abstract: A system includes a first earpiece having an earpiece housing configured to isolate an ambient environment from a tympanic membrane by physically blocking ambient sound, a microphone disposed within the housing and configured to receive a first ambient audio signal from the ambient environment, a processor operatively connected to the microphone wherein the processor is configured to receive the first ambient audio signal from the microphone and determine if the first ambient signal exceeds a threshold sound level, and a speaker operatively connected to the processor. In a first mode of operation the processor determines that the first ambient audio signal exceeds the threshold sound level and processes the first ambient audio signal to modify the first ambient audio signal. In a second mode of operation the processor determines that the first ambient audio signal does not exceed the threshold sound level and reproduces the first ambient audio signal at the speaker.

Abstract: An earpiece includes an earpiece housing, a processor disposed within the earpiece housing, and a gesture based interface operatively connected to the processor and configured to detect changes in an energy field associated with user gestures. The processor is configured to interpret the changes in the energy field to determine the user gestures.

Abstract: A wearable device providing responsive visual feedback is provided. The wearable device includes a wearable device housing, at least one lighting element associated with the housing for providing visual feedback, a processor disposed within the wearable device housing, the processor operatively connected to the at least one lighting element, a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the processor, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a mode of operation using sensed data from the plurality of sensor, and wherein the processor is programmed to control the at least one lighting element to convey visual feedback based on the mode of operation determined by the processor.