Abstract: Audio mixed reality devices and systems that may enhance, diminish, or modify real-world sounds, such as by overlaying audio streams onto real-world sounds or by combining audio streams with real-world sounds. The audio mixed reality devices and systems may enable presence in the real world, immersion in audio streams, or focus on real-world sounds. Immersive spatial audio scenes may be layered over or otherwise used to modify real-world sounds. An audio mixed reality device may capture and reproduce real-world sounds such that they appear spatially situated in the user's environment. The resulting auditory experience may ensure that real-world sounds maintain their natural origin points, thereby providing an acoustic foundation upon which audio streams can be overlaid or modulated without disorienting the user.

Abstract: Utilizing in-canal microphones and other microphones in wearable devices is described. One embodiment is an ear-worn device that includes an in-canal microphone configured to capture sounds in an ear canal and an array of microphones configured to capture external sounds. The ear-worn device may utilize the in-canal microphone to determine if the user is actively speaking. Upon such a determination, the ear-worn device may turn on the array of microphones to capture the user's voice and perform beamforming to focus the array of microphones on the user's mouth. Such speech can then be processed and provided to an artificial intelligence agent. The ear-worn device may switch between using the in-canal microphone and the array of microphones to capture the user's voice depending on environmental noise, the context of the user, and the voice content. The ear-worn device may also blend captures from the in-canal microphone and the array of microphones.

Abstract: An auditory operating system designed to facilitate context-aware, audio-based user interactions, particularly with artificial intelligence agents or applications. An auditory operating system shell serves as the primary interface, managing and coordinating multiple specialized agents that handle specific domains like music streaming, scheduling, or home automation. Using natural language processing, the auditory operating system shell identifies the appropriate agent or application for a user's command or query and ensures task execution and context preservation across interactions. The auditory operating system shell enforces privacy and stability by controlling agents' and applications' access to data and system privileges. The auditory operating system shell also supports dynamic context management, enabling seamless handoffs between agents when user requests span multiple domains.

Abstract: Utilizing in-canal microphones and other microphones in wearable devices is described. One embodiment is an ear-worn device that includes an in-canal microphone configured to capture sounds in an ear canal and an array of microphones configured to capture external sounds. The ear-worn device may utilize the in-canal microphone to determine if the user is actively speaking. Upon such a determination, the ear-worn device may turn on the array of microphones to capture the user's voice and perform beamforming to focus the array of microphones on the user's mouth. Such speech can then be processed and provided to an artificial intelligence agent. The ear-worn device may switch between using the in-canal microphone and the array of microphones to capture the user's voice depending on environmental noise, the context of the user, and the voice content. The ear-worn device may also blend captures from the in-canal microphone and the array of microphones.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving audio signals associated with virtual auditory space locations. Digital filters are selected based on the virtual auditory space locations. The digital filters include one or more notch filters including one or more center frequencies that are based on generally sigmoidal distributions of center frequencies as a function of virtual auditory space location. The notch filters are configured to produce one or more notches in frequency spectrums of audio signals when applied to the audio signals. The digital filters are applied to the audio signals to obtain processed audio signals. Output audio signals are generated based on the processed audio signals. The output audio signals are provided to devices for producing virtual auditory display sound.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving audio signals associated with virtual auditory space locations. Digital filters are selected based on the virtual auditory space locations. The digital filters include one or more notch filters including one or more center frequencies that are based on generally sigmoidal distributions of center frequencies as a function of virtual auditory space location. The notch filters are configured to produce one or more notches in frequency spectrums of audio signals when applied to the audio signals. The digital filters are applied to the audio signals to obtain processed audio signals. Output audio signals are generated based on the processed audio signals. The output audio signals are provided to devices for producing virtual auditory display sound.

Abstract: An ear interface is described. An example ear interface comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, a first opening at the proximal portion, a first cavity and a second cavity extending away from the first opening. The first cavity has a first partial generally capsule shape, and the second cavity has a second partial generally capsule shape. The ear interface further comprises a second opening at the distal portion and a passage extending from the first cavity to the second opening. Methods of manufacturing ear interfaces are also described. An example method comprises receiving a digital representation of an ear impression and creating, based on the digital representation, a mold structured to form an ear interface. The mold is filled with a biocompatible material, the mold and the ear interface are separated, and a surface of the ear interface is finished.

Abstract: Virtual auditory display devices are described. An example virtual auditory display device comprises a first and a second ear-worn device, each of which include an acoustic package, an ear interface having multiple cavities, and an electronics package. The acoustic package may be positioned at least partially within the ear interface cavities and includes a housing, a connector including a set of annular electrical contacts, and one or more speakers positioned within the housing that are configured to emit sound based on signals received by the set of annular electrical contacts. The electronics package is removably coupleable to the acoustic package and includes a set of electrical connectors configured to connect with the set of annular electrical contacts and electronics configured to receive audio signals, generate the signals based on the audio signals, and provide the signals to the set of annular electrical contacts via the set of electrical connectors.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving audio signals associated with virtual auditory space locations. Digital filters are selected based on the virtual auditory space locations. The digital filters include one or more notch filters including one or more center frequencies that are based on generally sigmoidal distributions of center frequencies as a function of virtual auditory space location. The notch filters are configured to produce one or more notches in frequency spectrums of audio signals when applied to the audio signals. The digital filters are applied to the audio signals to obtain processed audio signals. Output audio signals are generated based on the processed audio signals. The output audio signals are provided to devices for producing virtual auditory display sound.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes an acoustic package and an electronics package. The acoustic package is configured to emit audio in response to an audio signal. The acoustic package includes a first set of magnets arranged annularly about a central axis of the ear-mountable listening device. The electronics package is electrically coupled to the acoustic package when the ear-mountable listening device is worn to provide the audio signal to the acoustic package. The electronics package includes a second set of magnets arranged annularly about the central axis proximate to a proximal end of the electronics package to removably affix the electronics package to the acoustic package via magnetic forces between the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes an acoustic package and an electronics package. The acoustic package is configured to emit audio in response to an audio signal. The acoustic package includes a first set of magnets arranged annularly about a central axis of the ear-mountable listening device. The electronics package is electrically coupled to the acoustic package when the ear-mountable listening device is worn to provide the audio signal to the acoustic package. The electronics package includes a second set of magnets arranged annularly about the central axis proximate to a proximal end of the electronics package to removably affix the electronics package to the acoustic package via magnetic forces between the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets.

Abstract: A technique for rotational correction of a microphone array includes generating first audio signals representative of sounds emanating from an environment and captured with an array of microphones of an ear-mountable listening device; identifying a characteristic human behavior having at least one of a typical head orientation or a typical head motion associated with the characteristic human behavior by monitoring sensors mounted in fixed relation to the array of microphones; determining a rotational position of the array of microphones relative to the ear based at least in part upon identifying the characteristic human behavior; applying a rotational correction to the first audio signals to generate a second audio signal, wherein the rotational correction is based at least in part upon the rotational position; and driving a speaker of the ear-mountable listening device with the second audio signal to output audio into an ear.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes an acoustic package and an electronics package. The acoustic package is configured to emit audio in response to an audio signal. The acoustic package includes a first set of magnets arranged annularly about a central axis of the ear-mountable listening device. The electronics package is electrically coupled to the acoustic package when the ear-mountable listening device is worn to provide the audio signal to the acoustic package. The electronics package includes a second set of magnets arranged annularly about the central axis proximate to a proximal end of the electronics package to removably affix the electronics package to the acoustic package via magnetic forces between the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes an array of microphones physically arranged into a ring pattern to capture sounds from an environment and output first audio signals that are representative of the sounds captured by the microphones. A speaker is arranged to emit audio into an ear in response to a second audio signal. Electronics are coupled to the array of microphones and the speaker and configured to capture the sounds with the array of microphones to generate the first audio signals and generate the second audio signal that drives the speaker based upon one or more of the first audio signals.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes an adaptive phased array of microphones, a speaker, and electronics. The microphones are physically arranged into a ring pattern to capture sounds emanating from an environment. Each of the microphones is configured to output one of a plurality of first audio signals that is representative of the sounds captured by a respective one of the microphones. The speaker is arranged to emit audio into an ear. The electronics are coupled to the adaptive phased array and the speaker and include logic that when executed causes the ear-mountable listening device receive a user input identifying a first sound for cancelling or amplifying, steer a null or a lobe of the adaptive phased array based upon the user input, and generate a second audio signal that drives the speaker based upon a combination of one or more of the first audio signals.

Abstract: Techniques described herein include generating first audio signals representative of sounds emanating from an environment and captured with an array of microphones disposed within an ear-mountable listing device. A rotational position of the array of microphones is determined. A rotational correction is applied to the first audio signals to generate a second audio signal. The rotational correction is based at least in part upon the determined rotational position. A speaker of the ear-mountable listening device is driven with the second audio signal to output audio into an ear.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes a plurality of electroacoustic transducers, a manifold, and an output port. The plurality of electroacoustic transducers emit audio in response to an audio signal. The plurality of electroacoustic transducers includes a first transducer and a second transducer. The manifold is coupled to the plurality of electroacoustic transducers. The manifold is shaped to position the first transducer and the second transducer to face one another and form a front cavity disposed between the first transducer and the second transducer. The output port is coupled to the manifold to direct the audio from the front cavity into an ear when the plurality of electroacoustic transducers emits the audio.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an ear-mounted sound reproduction system is provided. The system includes an ear-mountable housing that sits within the pinna of the ear and occludes the ear canal. In some embodiments, the ear-mountable housing includes a plurality of external-facing microphones. Because the external-facing microphones may be situated within the pinna of the ear but outside of the ear canal, the microphones will experience some, but not all, of the three-dimensional acoustic effects of the pinna. In some embodiments, sound is reproduced by an internal-facing driver element of the housing using a plurality of filters applied to the signals received by the plurality of external-facing microphones to preserve three-dimensional localization cues that would be present at the eardrum in the absence of the housing, such that the housing is essentially transparent to the user. In some embodiments, techniques are provided for deriving the plurality of filters.

Abstract: A system for charging in-ear device battery packages includes a housing with a lid and a body, and a hinge system attaching the lid to the body. A charging unit is shaped to fit in the body, and includes a battery. One or more slots are disposed in the body that are exposed when the lid is open. The one or more slots are shaped to receive one or more of the in-ear device battery packages, and charge the one or more in-ear device battery packages with energy stored in the battery.

Abstract: An ear-mountable listening device includes a soft ear interface, an acoustic package, and electronics. The soft ear interface is shaped to house one or more components of the ear-mountable listening device. The soft ear interface has an outer surface that contacts a canal of an ear when the ear-mountable listening device is worn by the ear. The outer surface of the soft ear interface includes a plurality of baffles to form one or more channels for air or moisture to propagate through. The one or more channels extend from between a distal end and a proximal end of the soft ear interface. The proximal end of the soft ear interface extends to at least a first bend of the canal and the distal end of the soft ear interface contacts a concha of the ear when the ear-mountable listening device is worn.