Abstract: An earpiece including an external surface having a first fixed configuration disposable within the outer ear and having a passage adapted for retention of an in ear device, the earpiece heatable to achieve a moldable condition which allows reconfiguration of the external surface by engagement with the outer ear to dispose the external surface in a second fixed configuration in greater conformity to the outer ear.

Abstract: A hearing assistance system includes one or more hearing aids capable of wireless communication and an antenna assembly external to the one or more hearing aids for improving performance of the wireless communication. In various embodiments, the antenna assembly includes one or more fabric patches configured to be worn by a hearing aid user to function as an antenna or an antenna reflector. In various embodiments, the one or more fabric patches are integrated with a garment worn by the hearing aid user.

Abstract: A method of remote fitting a hearing aid system (102) adapted to avoid mal-functioning of the hearing aid system as a consequence of an interruption or failure of the remote connection during a remote fitting of the hearing aid system. A hearing aid fitting system adapted for such a method and a hearing aid adapted for such a method.

Abstract: A loudspeaker device having housing and an acoustic transducer is disclosed. The housing has a transducer space for the acoustic transducer, and a back volume space. The back volume filled with a sound adsorber material and a foam material. The sound adsorber material in the back volume space is configured to virtually increase the size of the back volume space, and shift the resonant frequency of the back volume space. The foam material facilitates gas exchange and air flow within the back volume space, and between the sound adsorber and the transducer space. The foam material is configured in different arrangements to facilitate the gas exchange and air flow.

Abstract: A sound generator includes a housing (20), a piezoelectric vibrator (60) including a piezoelectric element (61), at least a portion of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) protruding from the housing (20), and an anchor (10) applying a load to the piezoelectric vibrator (60). A portion or all of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) withdraws into the housing (20) under a force of a predetermined load or greater. While the load from the anchor (10) is being applied to the piezoelectric vibrator (60), the piezoelectric vibrator (60) deforms in response to a sound signal, and deformation of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) vibrates a contact surface contacted by the piezoelectric vibrator (60), causing sound to be emitted from the contact surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transmitting vibrations via an electronic and/or transducer assembly through a tooth or teeth are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.

Abstract: An earphone with at least one air orifice contains a body. The body includes at least one slot defined on a rear cap thereof, and each of the at least one slot has at least one air orifice formed therein. Thereby, the air discharges or draws to vibrate the speaker via the at least one air orifice to reduce resistance of the air against the speaker and to enhance tone quality, when the speaker vibrates in a closed space.

Abstract: The present invention is an extremely low frequency (ELF) microphone and acoustic measurement system capable of infrasound detection in a portable and easily deployable form factor. In one embodiment of the invention, an extremely low frequency electret microphone comprises a membrane, a backplate, and a backchamber. The backchamber is sealed to allow substantially no air exchange between the backchamber and outside the microphone. Compliance of the membrane may be less than ambient air compliance. The backplate may define a plurality of holes and a slot may be defined between an outer diameter of the backplate and an inner wall of the microphone. The locations and sizes of the holes, the size of the slot, and the volume of the backchamber may be selected such that membrane motion is substantially critically damped.

Abstract: An automatically controlled directional speaker includes a sound amplifying device, an image capture device, a computing device, an azimuth control motor and an amplitude control unit. The image capture device is provided for detecting the status of surrounding environment to generate image information, and the computing device is communicatively coupled to the image capture device for determining whether there is at least one face information in the image information, and the azimuth control motor is coupled to the sound amplifying device for controlling the azimuth of an output sound of the sound amplifying device according to the face information, and the amplitude control unit is communicatively coupled to the sound amplifying device for controlling the volume of the output sound of the sound amplifying device according to the face information. The speaker may be combined with a lamp to form an LED lamp with broadcasting and illumination functions.

Abstract: A method of sensing vibrations in the middle ear is presented. The method includes implanting a transducer in the middle ear. The transducer measures vibration, within a predetermined frequency range, of at least one component of the middle ear. The transducer has a resonance frequency within the predetermined frequency range, and further has a limited frequency response in a portion of the frequency range. The implanting includes operatively coupling the implant to the at least one component of the middle ear such that the limited frequency response of the transducer is complimentary to, and compensated by, the frequency characteristics of the at least one component of the middle ear.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing performance of a microphone are disclosed. An airflow control system may include a block-shaped structure and an airflow impedance element residing within a cavity of the block-shaped structure. The airflow impedance element may be formed by filling the cavity with a plurality of pre-processed airflow impedance elements and sintering these elements, and may include a plurality of non-linear pathways. The plurality non-linear pathways may both impede airflow therethrough (e.g., when a force exerted by the airflow exceeds a predetermined amount) and pass sound that may match a frequency response of a microphone without substantially affecting the amplitude and frequency characteristics of the sound.

Abstract: A speaker rigging system is provided with a frame, a cam pivotally connected to the frame about a pivot axis and a sector secured to the cam with a peripheral surface with a plurality of teeth formed therein. The speaker rigging system also includes a lever arm and a pawl. The lever arm is pivotally connected to the frame with a proximal end and an intermediate portion extending between the proximal end and the pivotal connection to be oriented proximate to the sector. The pawl extends from the intermediate portion of the lever arm and is spring-biased toward the sector for engaging one of the plurality of teeth to lock the cam to the frame in a locked condition.

Abstract: A piece of headgear or hat is capable of holding and storing an audio device and an earphone or headphone assembly either while the headgear or hat is in use or while it is stored. The headgear or hat has a pocket accessible from an exterior to accept and store the audio device and allow a user to manipulate and use the audio device without removing the headgear or hat. The headgear or hat also has a plurality of apertures so that the common wire set of the earphones or headphones can be threaded and contained therein. The earphone or headphone assembly and the audio device are removable from the headgear or hat for repair, replacement or cleaning.

Abstract: A vibration unit of a miniature speaker is disclosed that the vibration unit has a diaphragm, a voice coil driving the diaphragm along a vibration direction, and a support around which the voice coil is wound. The support includes a base attached to the diaphragm, and a number of sidewalls each extending from a bound of the base along the vibration direction to a distal end thus forming an edge connecting the distal end and the bound. The support further includes a number of smooth corners formed at the edges of the sidewalls. For forming the smooth corners, each of the sidewalls includes two flanges extending from two edges for protecting the voice coil from being cut broken.

Abstract: A hearing device includes: a processing unit; a filter; and a wireless receiver; wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a time difference between a start of the wireless receiver and a reception of a corresponding data packet from a transmitter; wherein the filter is configured to determine a time period as a function of a plurality of time differences that include the time difference determined by the processing unit; and wherein the processing unit is further configured to control the wireless receiver such that the wireless receiver is started in the time period before reception of a subsequent data packet from the transmitter.

Abstract: Provided is an electronic device including: a housing; a vibration body disposed in the housing; and a microphone disposed in the housing. By vibrating the vibration body, the electronic device transmits air conduction sound and vibration sound that is generated by the vibration. During the generation of the sounds, howling reduction processing is performed, so that usability of the electronic device is improved.

Abstract: An earpiece that substantially lacks a lower lobe is disclosed. In one example, the earpiece can have a generally arcuate rib having upper and lower ends. A lobe can be formed at the upper end of the arcuate rib. No lobe is formed at the lower end of the arcuate rib. An extension can extend from the earpiece and can be configured to extend into the ear canal. Eliminating the lower lobe mitigates discomfort during use and also reduces the likelihood of tissue damage and infection. The extension can enhance communication of desired sound, e.g., from a two-way radio, to an eardrum while mitigating communication of undesirable ambient noise to the eardrum. Other implementations and related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The technology presented here reduces the number of audio ports associated with the mobile device by combining a plurality of audio ports into a single multipurpose audio apparatus. The multipurpose audio apparatus includes the functionality of multiple audio ports that have previously required separate audio ports, such as an external device audio port and an audio emitter audio port. When the external device is plugged in, the audio emitter powers off, and the sound is omitted through the external device. When the external device is not plugged in, the audio emitter emits the sound.

Abstract: A resilient element is used to bias a vibration element of an auditory prosthesis towards the skin of a recipient. This helps improve transmission of vibration stimuli to the recipient. Additionally, the resilient element helps reduce feedback caused by the vibration element vibrating in close proximity to sound processing components contained within the auditory prosthesis.

Abstract: A behind the ear hearing aid includes: a transceiver for wireless data communication interconnected with an antenna for electromagnetic field emission and electromagnetic field reception, the antenna extending on a first side of a hearing aid and a second side of the hearing aid, a first segment of the antenna extending from proximate the first side of the hearing aid to proximate the second side of the hearing aid; and a feed system configured for exciting the antenna to induce a current in at least the first segment, the current having a first local maxima proximate the first side of the hearing aid and a second local maxima proximate the second side of the hearing aid.