Abstract: A hearing aid system for assisting a user's ability to hear includes at least one hearing aid instrument worn on the user's head. A sound signal from the surroundings is recorded and converted into input audio signals by input transducers of the hearing aid system. The hearing aid system includes two adaptive beamformers with variable notch direction, applied indirectly or directly to the input audio signals to generate direction-dependently damped audio signals. The notch directions are set to mutually different values to minimize the energy content of the direction-dependently damped audio signal of each beamformer. The notch directions of the two beamformers are evaluated in comparative fashion. A user's head rotation is captured qualitatively and/or quantitatively if a correlated change in the notch directions is determined within the scope of the comparative evaluation. A method for operating the hearing aid system is also provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment of an audio system, a transducer can be coupled to a passive acoustic directional amplifier to provide various benefits and improvements, including improvements to: speech intelligibility, signal-to-noise ratio, effective equivalent input noise, at-a-distance acoustic signal reception, and directional preference. In another embodiment, the shape of an interior surface of a passive acoustic directional amplifier is provided. In another embodiment, the material properties of an interior surface of a passive acoustic directional amplifier are provided.

Abstract: A hearing device component (6) comprises a sensor-unit (8) for receiving an audio-signal (AS), a separation device (9) for separating part-signals (PSi) from the audio-signal (AS), a classification device (10) for classifying the part-signals (PSi) separated from the audio-signals (AS), and a modulation device (11) for modulating the part-signals (PSi), wherein the classification device (10) is communicatively coupled to the modulation device (11) and wherein the modulation device (11) is designed to enable a concurrent modulation of different part-signals (PSi) with different modulation-functions depending on their classification.

Abstract: A tinnitus shielding device primarily includes an audio pick-up circuit, a processor, and a speaker in a case. The audio pick-up circuit receives a sound from an outer environment to generate a sound signal, and the processor processes the sound signal to compare a sound frequency in each of a plurality of audio components according to a configuration data and generates an output audio component by a frequency shifting process to at least one of the sound frequency which conforming to the configuration data. Then the processor combines the output audio component and the audio components those are not shifted to generate an output sound signal, to allow the speaker to output the output sound signal. Accordingly, the tinnitus shielding device of the present disclosure provides automatically shielding the sound frequency which may cause tinnitus discomfort to the user, to avoid the problem with tinnitus thereby.

Abstract: A flat plate audio transducer. A front panel and a back panel are connected via a frame. One or more electromagnetic actuators are mounted between the two panels. Voice coils are used as the actuators in some embodiments. Stiffening braces are preferably run between groups of actuators to prevent unwanted resonance phenomena. In some embodiments an actuator array moves both the front and back panels. In other embodiments only one panel is moved.

Abstract: A capacitive microphone includes a substrate, a plurality of stationary electrodes, a diaphragm, and a backplate. The substrate includes a cavity and a step disposed in the cavity, and the plurality of stationary electrodes is equally spaced on the step. A diaphragm is received in the step and includes a vibration portion and a connecting portion connected to the vibration portion. A plurality of movable electrodes protrudes from a periphery of the vibration portion, and one end of the connecting portion away from the vibration portion is connected to the substrate. The backplate is provided with a plurality of sound transmission holes, and a gap is formed between the backplate and the diaphragm to form electrode plates of a variable capacitor. The capacitive microphone can get a higher signal-to-noise ratio, improve the capability of suppressing linear distortion, and improve the anti-interference capability of the microphone.

Abstract: A telecommunications tray is presented herein. In some examples, the telecommunications tray assembly includes a tower structure and at least one hinged tray rotatably mounted to the tower structure. In one aspect, the hinged tray is rotatable between at least two indexed positions, wherein the hinged tray is positively retained in the at least two indexed positions by a position retention structure. In some examples, the position retention structure is a transversely mounted leaf spring that is received into recesses of the tower structure.

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: One embodiment provides a slim acoustic transducer with a diaphragm that is substantially centered on a vertical axis. A first top plate is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis. The first top plate houses a first upper magnet. A first bottom plate is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis. The first bottom plate houses a first lower magnet. A voice coil has a height parallel to the vertical axis. The voice coil is at least partially disposed within the first top plate and at least partially disposed within the first bottom plate.

Abstract: A unidirectional microphone includes: a case having a shape of a bottomed cylinder and including a sound hole in a bottom thereof; a ring-shaped diaphragm fixed to the bottom in the case; a vibrating membrane stretched on the diaphragm; a backplate which has a shape of a bottomed cylinder and is housed in the case in a nested manner such that an air gap to serve as a sound propagation path is formed between the backplate and an inner surface of the case, the backplate including an aperture serving as a sound propagation path in a side face thereof; a spacer positioned between the diaphragm and the backplate to fix the diaphragm and the backplate, and including a notch serving as a sound propagation path in a portion thereof; and a base plate covering a top opening of the case and including a hole serving as a sound propagation path.

Abstract: A bracket for a telecommunication terminal has a first jaw formed with a first receptacle for a first edge side of the telecommunication terminal and a second jaw with a second receptacle for a second edge side, opposite the first edge side, of the telecommunication terminal. The first and second receptacles, in an initial position of the bracket, form one side of a V-shaped insertion opening. At least one of the jaws is mounted rotatably on a housing of the bracket. The receptacle of the rotatably mounted jaw has a first section in front of the axis of rotation of the jaw in the direction of insertion of the telecommunication terminal and a second section arranged behind the axis of rotation of the jaw in the direction of insertion. The rotatably mounted jaw is rotatable counter to the restoring force of a first spring element.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer comprises a transducer substrate having an aperture defined therethrough. At least one diaphragm is disposed on the transducer substrate over the aperture. A back plate is disposed on the transducer substrate and axially spaced apart from the at least one diaphragm. A perimetral support structure is disposed circumferentially between the at least one diaphragm and the back plate at a radially outer perimeter of the back plate. A plurality of perimetral release holes are defined circumferentially through at least one of the at least one diaphragm or the back plate proximate to and radially inwards of the perimetral support structure, at least a portion of the plurality of perimetral release holes defining a non-circular shape.

Abstract: This disclosure includes several different features suitable for use in circumaural and supra-aural headphones designs. Designs that reduce the size of headphones and allow for small form-factor storage configurations are discussed. User convenience features that include synchronizing earpiece stem positions and automatically detecting the orientation of the headphones on a user's head are also discussed. Various power-saving features, design features, sensor configurations and user comfort features are also discussed.

Abstract: An apparatus provides a quick and easy way too store smart headphones while preserving headphone battery life. A trigger element such as a magnet is positioned so that a sleep/wake system in the headphones detects its proximity when stored on the apparatus. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus is configured so that the headphones are hung in an open-air setting which makes them easily accessible for use without having to be retrieved from a closed container. When mounted, the trigger element may signal the headphones to enter a sleep mode to preserve battery life. Once removed, the headphones may detect the lack of proximity to the trigger element which frees the headphones for operation.

Abstract: A method of operating an ear level audio system in order to provide improved own voice detection and an ear level audio system (100) for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A loudspeaker system with viscoelastic material affixed between two flexible panels is disclosed. The loudspeaker system dissipates the energy of motion, resulting in less pronounced resonant peaks. The effect may be especially evident at high frequencies, where energy is dissipated over many cycles in a shorter period of time. Also disclosed are the method of making the loudspeaker system and a method of using the loudspeaker system.

Abstract: Hearing aids for persons with sensorineural hearing loss aim to compensate for degraded speech perception caused by frequency-dependent elevation of hearing thresholds, reduced dynamic range, abnormal loudness growth, and increased temporal and spectral masking. A digital hearing aid is implemented as a smartphone application as an alternative to ASIC-based hearing aids. The implementation provides user-configurable processing for background noise suppression and dynamic range compression. Both processing blocks are implemented for real-time processing using single FFT-based analysis-synthesis. A touch-controlled graphical user interface enables the user to set and fine-tune the processing parameters in an interactive and real-time mode.

Abstract: System and methods for processing audio signals are disclosed. In one implementation, a system may include at least one microphone configured to capture sounds from an environment of a user; a wearable camera configured to capture a plurality of images from the environment of the user; and at least one processor. The processor may be configured to receive at least one image of the plurality of images; receive at least one audio signal representative of the sounds captured by the at least one microphone; identify an item of information based on at least one of the at least one image or the at least one audio signal; determine at least a beginning of an informational time period for providing the item of information to the user; and transmit an informational audio signal representative of the item of information to a hearing interface device during the informational time period.

Abstract: An adapter for mounting an instrument or accessory device to microphone stand head includes a conical body having an overall length with a maximum outside diameter and a minimum outside diameter, an elongate mounting post having an overall length, the mounting post contiguously formed to or otherwise fixed to the conical body, the mounting post and conical body aligned to share the same longitudinal center, the mounting post bearing external threading from the free end of the mounting post down the post to some length, and an end cap having a uniform outside diameter and an annular threaded mounting seat provided at proximal center of the threaded end cap, where the mounting seat threads mate with the external threads on the mounting post.

Abstract: The waterproof sound-transmitting member of the present disclosure includes: a waterproof sound-transmitting membrane configured to prevent entry of water while permitting sound to pass therethrough, and a support layer joined to a main surface of the waterproof sound-transmitting membrane. The waterproof sound-transmitting membrane has an air permeability of 10,000 seconds/100 mL or more as expressed by Gurley number, the support layer includes a resin foam material and has a through hole extending in a thickness direction thereof and serving as a path for sound transmitted through the waterproof sound-transmitting membrane, and a side air permeability of the support layer between the through hole and an outer peripheral side surface of the support layer when the support layer is compressed in the thickness direction thereof at a compression ratio of 20% is 0.1 mL/(min·mm3) or more as a value per unit volume of the support layer.