Abstract: A dipole speaker assembly comprises a transducer section, a front volume section, and a rear volume section. The transducer section includes a frame and piezoelectric actuators coupled to the frame. The piezoelectric actuators are configured to generate an acoustic pressure wave. The transducer section includes a first side and a second side, the second side being opposite the first side. The front volume section is coupled to the first side to form a front cavity, the front volume section including an aperture from which the generated acoustic pressure wave exits the front volume section towards an ear canal of a user. The rear volume section is coupled to the second side to form a rear cavity. The generated acoustic pressure wave exiting the rear volume section cancels the generated acoustic pressure wave exiting the front volume section in the far field.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to calibrating head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) for a user of an audio system (e.g., as a component of a headset) using cartilage conducted sounds. A test sound is presented to a user using a transducer (e.g., cartilage conduction) and an audio signal is responsively received via a microphone at an entrance to the user's ear canal. The test sound and audio signal combination may be provided to an audio server where a model is used to determine one or more HRTFs for the user. Information describing the one or more HRTFs is provided to the audio system to be used for providing audio to the user. The audio server may also use a model to determine geometric information describing a pinna of the user based on the combination. In one embodiment, the geometric information is used to determine the one or more HRTFs for the user.

Abstract: A system provides blood pressure monitoring for a user. The system includes an in-ear device, a sensor, and a processor. The in-ear device includes in-ear electrodes that capture electrical signals of pulses of a user's heartbeat from within an ear canal of the user. The sensor captures sensor data indicating tissue movements caused by the user's heartbeat. The processor determines a time interval between a peak in an R wave in electrocardiogram (EKG) data generated using the electrical signals and a peak in a waveform representing the tissue movement generated using the sensor data. The processor determines a blood pressure level of the user using the time interval. The sensor may be located on the in-ear device, and may be a motion sensor, an acoustic sensor, or a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor.

Abstract: An audio system comprises an array of transparent piezoelectric transducers on a transparent surface. Each transparent piezoelectric transducer includes one or more piezoelectric layers and one or more conductive layers that are substantially transparent to visible light. A transparent piezoelectric transducer may include, e.g., a first conductive layer, a first piezoelectric layer on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer on the first piezoelectric layer. Or in another example, the transparent piezoelectric transducer includes many (e.g., 20-30) piezoelectric layers and many (e.g., 20-30) conductive layers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an audio system for artificial reality applications. One or more transducers of the audio system output, in accordance with audio instructions, one or more ultrasonic pressure waves simulating a virtual audio source near an ear of a user of the headset. A controller of the audio system generates the audio instructions such that the one or more ultrasonic pressure waves form at least a portion of audio content for presentation to the user. An array of microphones of the audio system detects audio signals in a local area. A deep neural network of the audio system processes the detected audio signals to generate enhanced audio content, and the one or more transducers present the enhanced audio content to a user.

Abstract: An audio system for providing content to a user. The system includes a first and a second transducer assembly of a plurality of transducer assemblies, an acoustic sensor, and a controller. The first transducer assembly couples to a portion of an auricle of the user's ear and vibrates over a first range of frequencies based on a first set of audio instructions. The vibration causes the portion of the ear to create a first range of acoustic pressure waves. The second transducer assembly is configured to vibrate over a second range of frequencies to produce a second range of acoustic pressure waves based on a second set of audio instructions. The acoustic sensor detects acoustic pressure waves at an entrance of the ear. The controller generates the audio instructions based on audio content to be provided to the user and the detected acoustic pressure waves from the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: An audio system including an optical microphone and an audio controller. The optical microphone includes a light source and a detector. In some embodiments, the light source illuminates skin of a user. Alternatively the optical microphone also includes a membrane, and the light source illuminates a portion of the membrane. Sounds from a local area cause vibrations in the skin (or vibrations in the membrane). The detector may be in an interferometric configuration or a non-interferometric configuration with the light source. The audio controller monitors the vibrations of the skin (or membrane) using signal output from the detector, and measures the sounds using the monitored vibrations.

Abstract: An audio system comprises an array of transparent piezoelectric transducers on a transparent surface. Each transparent piezoelectric transducer includes one or more piezoelectric layers and one or more conductive layers that are substantially transparent to visible light. A transparent piezoelectric transducer may include, e.g., a first conductive layer, a first piezoelectric layer on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer on the first piezoelectric layer. Or in another example, the transparent piezoelectric transducer includes many (e.g., 20-30) piezoelectric layers and many (e.g., 20-30) conductive layers.

Abstract: An audio system for a wearable device dynamically updates acoustic transfer functions. The audio system is configured to estimate a direction of arrival (DoA) of each sound source detected by a microphone array relative to a position of the wearable device within a local area. The audio system may track the movement of each sound source. The audio system may form a beam in the direction of each sound source. The audio system may identify and classify each sound source based on the sound source properties. Based on the DoA estimates, the movement tracking, and the beamforming, the audio system generates or updates the acoustic transfer functions for the sound sources.

Abstract: An audio system for near and far field signal enhancement that uses a contact transducer. The audio system includes a microphone array, the contact transducer, and a controller. The microphone array detects sounds from a local area. The sounds from the local area include a voice of a user of the audio system. The contact transducer may be in contact with the head of the user. The contact transducer detects tissue based vibrations that are generated by the user and pass through tissue of the user prior to being detected by the contact transducer. The controller identifies the voice of the user in the detected sounds using the detected tissue based vibrations and a model, and updates a sound filter based on the identified voice of the user. The audio content is modified using the updated sound filter, and is presented by at least one audio system.

Abstract: An audio system for providing content to a user. The system includes a first and a second transducer assembly of a plurality of transducer assemblies, an acoustic sensor, and a controller. The first transducer assembly couples to a portion of an auricle of the user's ear and vibrates over a first range of frequencies based on a first set of audio instructions. The vibration causes the portion of the ear to create a first range of acoustic pressure waves. The second transducer assembly is configured to vibrate over a second range of frequencies to produce a second range of acoustic pressure waves based on a second set of audio instructions. The acoustic sensor detects acoustic pressure waves at an entrance of the ear. The controller generates the audio instructions based on audio content to be provided to the user and the detected acoustic pressure waves from the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include applying, via a sound reproduction system, sound cancellation that reduces an amplitude of various sound signals. The method further includes identifying, among the sound signals, an external sound whose amplitude is to be reduced by the sound cancellation. The method then includes analyzing the identified external sound to determine whether the identified external sound is to be made audible to a user and, upon determining that the external sound is to be made audible to the user, the method includes modifying the sound cancellation so that the identified external sound is made audible to the user. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: An audio system for customizing sound fields for increased user privacy. A microphone array of a headset detects sounds from one or more sound sources in a local area of the headset. The audio system estimates array transfer functions (ATFs) associated with the sounds, and determines determining sound field reproduction filters for a loudspeaker array of the headset using the ATFs. The audio system presents audio content, via the loudspeaker array, based in part on the sound field reproduction filters. The presented audio content has a sound field that has a reduced amplitude in a first damped region of the local area that includes a first sound source of the one or more sound sources.

Abstract: An in-ear device comprises a transducer section, a front volume section, and a rear volume section. The transducer section includes a frame and piezoelectric actuators coupled to the frame. The piezoelectric actuators are configured to generate an acoustic pressure wave. The transducer section includes a first side and a second side, the second side being opposite the first side. The front volume section is coupled to the first side to form a front cavity, the front volume section including an aperture from which the generated acoustic pressure wave exits the front volume section towards an ear drum of a user. The rear volume section is coupled to the second side to form a rear cavity. The transducer section, the front volume section, and the rear volume section are configured to fit entirely within the ear canal.

Abstract: An in-ear device occludes an ear canal of an ear of a user. The in-ear device is configured to be calibrated such that the user perceives audio content as though the in-ear device is not occluding the ear canal. A transducer of the in-ear device presents audio content, and an inner microphone of the in-ear device detects sound pressure data within the ear canal. A controller of the in-ear device determines a blocked sound pressure at the entrance to the ear canal based on sound pressure data from an outer microphone. The controller generates sound filters custom to the user based in part on the detected sound pressure within the ear canal and the blocked sound pressure at the entrance to the ear canal. The controller adjusts audio content using the sound filter, and the transducer presents the adjusted audio content to the user.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing environment information identifying an undesired sound source within an environment. The method may further include determining, based on the accessed environment information, a spatial location of the undesired sound source in the environment that is to be attenuated using an active noise cancelling (ANC) signal. The method may also include forming a microphone beam, using two or more microphones, directed at the determined spatial location, where the microphone beam is configured to capture audio information from the determined spatial location. Still further, the method may include generating an ANC signal using the audio information captured using the microphone beam, and playing back the generated ANC signal to attenuate the undesired sound source at the determined spatial location. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cartilage conduction audio device is disclosed. A manufacturing system receives data describing a three-dimensional shape of an ear (e.g., the outer ear, behind the ear, the concha bowel, etc.) of a user. The system identifies one or more locations for one or more transducers along a back of an auricle of the ear for the user that vibrate the auricle over a frequency range causing the auricle to create an acoustic pressure wave at an entrance of the ear canal. The system then generates a design for a cartilage conduction audio device for the user based on the one or more identified locations of the transducers at which acoustic pressure waves generated by the one or more transducers satisfy a threshold performance metric for the user. The design may then be used to fabricate the cartilage conduction audio device.

Abstract: An in-ear device comprises a transducer section, a front volume section, and a rear volume section. The transducer section includes a frame and piezoelectric actuators coupled to the frame. The piezoelectric actuators are configured to generate an acoustic pressure wave. The transducer section includes a first side and a second side, the second side being opposite the first side. The front volume section is coupled to the first side to form a front cavity, the front volume section including an aperture from which the generated acoustic pressure wave exits the front volume section towards an ear drum of a user. The rear volume section is coupled to the second side to form a rear cavity. The transducer section, the front volume section, and the rear volume section are configured to fit entirely within the ear canal.

Abstract: An ear-plug assembly presents audio content to an ear canal of a user. The audio content may be based in part on sound in a local area surrounding the user. The ear-plug assembly detects, via one or more acoustic sensors, sound in the area around the user. The sound waves travel through an aperture in a body of the ear-plug assembly and are propagated to a waveguide to the one or more acoustic sensors. The ear-plug assembly processes the detected sound data in a controller, which instructs a speaker assembly to present audio content based in part on the detected sound data. The detected sounds may be amplified, attenuated, filtered, and/or augmented when presented by the speaker assembly.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) coil assembly is presented herein. In some embodiments, the MEMS coil assembly includes a foldable substrate and a plurality of coil segments. Each coil segment includes a portion of the substrate, two conductors arranged on the portion of the substrate. The substrate can be folded to stack the coil segments on top of each other and to electrically connect first and second conductors of adjacent coil segments. In some other embodiments, the MEMS coil assembly includes a plurality of coil layers stacked onto each other. Each coil layer includes a substrate and a conductor to form a coil. The conductors of adjacent coil layers are connected through a via. The MEMS coil assembly can be arranged between a pair of magnets. An input signal can be applied to the MEMS coil assembly to cause the MEMS coil assembly to move orthogonally relative to the magnets.