Abstract: A mouth piece to transmit sound through vibration may include a front portion and a rear portion, which are connected through a connecting unit with each other to form a U-shaped apparatus. In one embodiment, the mouth piece can be disposed traversing the lower lip. More specifically, the front portion is disposed in front of the lower lip and the rear portion is disposed between the lower lip and the gum behind the lower lip, while the connecting unit is located between the upper lip and lower lip. The mouth piece may further include an extending piece extending from the rear portion into the mouth for the upper tooth and lower tooth to bite on.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals 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 which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for capturing sound for communication by mounting one or more intra-oral microphones to capture sound; and mounting a mouth wearable communicator in the oral cavity to communicate sound with a remote unit.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals 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 which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.

Abstract: A device for talking underwater comprising a body made of a rigid material with a large opening and a small opening. The large opening has a thin diaphragm cover and the small opening has a mouth fitting for forming an airtight seal around a users mouth. Speaking into the device through the mouth fitting sends sound waves to the diaphragm which transmits the sound vibrations to the water. One-way blow valves in the side of the body allow exhaled air to escape while speaking into the device. The blow valves do not allow water to enter the body. The blow valves are constructed such that bubbles released to the surrounding water are too small to produce excessive amounts of disruptive noise. The body is preferably cone-shaped, but can be any shape, provided it has large and small openings.

Abstract: A vocal communication snorkel includes a hollow body having a breather tube, adapted to extend above the water, coupled thereto and a mouthpiece adapted to be held by the lips of a snorkeler. The body has a pair of inwardly curved, spherically shaped diaphragms of thin plastic material that are tuned to resonance within the frequency band of 1500 to 3000 Hertz in water. The mouthpiece includes a passageway that is coupled to the body and a pair of flexible lips, that are closable by the lips of the snorkeler for articulating plosive sounds. A readily collapsible bubble, formed in the passageway and engageable by the lower lip of the snorkeler, facilitates closure of the passageway under pressure from the snorkeler's lower lip.

Abstract: The utility of assigning each car of an elevator system to service a hall call is determined by estimating the performance of each elevator car using a plurality of performance criteria. The performance criteria are then scaled by values indicative of the customer preferences for elevator system performance in order to form a plurality of scaled performance fuzzy sets. An assignment utility fuzzy set is formed from terms of the scaled performance fuzzy sets. The utility of assigning each car to service a particular hall call is then set equal to the maximum value of the degrees of membership of all of the terms of the scaled performance fuzzy sets. Alternatively, the utility of assigning each car to service a particular hall call can be set equal to the minimum value of the degrees of membership of all of the terms of the scaled performance fuzzy sets.

Abstract: An underwater voice communicator in which the preferred embodiment comprises a pair of tapered tubes in communication with a diver's mouth. The tubes are constructed of a material having a sound impedance similar to the sound impedance of water. Sound energy issuing from the mouth of a diver is reflected down the length of the tapered tubes to an area of the tube that concentrates the sound for injection into the surrounding water.

Abstract: The communicator comprises a casing with extending bits for clenching between a diver's teeth in a manner such that the diver can speak into an air chamber within the casing. An acoustical diaphragm within the casing absorbs acoustical energy in the air chamber. An emitter element in turn has at least one surface in direct physical contact with the surrounding water and is connected to the diaphragm through a mechanical means designed to provide an acoustical impedance match between the acoustic energy in the air chamber and the acoustic energy generated in the surrounding water by the emitter thereby maximizing the energy transfer from the diver's voice to the surrounding water. The casing and bit held in the diver's teeth serve as a receiver for acoustical energy in the water which is conducted through the bit and diver's teeth to his auditory senses.