Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to cooperation among communications devices having microphones to employ their microphones in unison to provide voice detection with noise reduction for voice communications. A first communications device comprises a processor circuit; a first microphone; an interface operative to communicatively couple the processor circuit to a network; and a storage communicatively coupled to the processor circuit and arranged to store a sequence of instructions operative on the processor circuit to store a first detected data that represents sounds detected by the first microphone; receive a second detected data via the network that represents sounds detected by a second microphone of a second communications device; subtractively sum the first and second data to create a processed data; and transmit the processed data to a third communications device. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to a proximity sensor apparatus. A light source may emit light that is conducted through multiple optical fibers, each having a source end and an emission end. The multiple optical fibers emit the light out the emission end and are arranged such that the emission ends form a grid. Multiple photoelectric sensors, each substantially co-located with each of the multiple optical fibers at the emission end are operative to detect emitted light that has been reflected back off an object. A processing component may be communicatively coupled with the multiple photoelectric sensors and receive signals from the multiple photoelectric sensors. The signals may be indicative of the detected emitted light that has been reflected back. The signals may be processed to determine a distance from the multiple photoelectric sensors to the object that reflected the emitted light.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product containing instructions for analyzing audio input to a receiver coupled to an audio player to identify an audio event as one of a plurality of pre-determined audio event types. In response to identifying the audio event, the audio player is caused to adjust an audio output. Adjusting the audio output may include causing the audio player to pause playing audio output or to lower the volume of the audio output. The audio input to the receiver may be recorded. In response to identifying the audio event, the audio player may be caused to replay a recorded portion of the audio input. The recorded portion of the audio input may include a portion recorded prior to identifying the audio event.