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Method to Cancel Noise Without Ear-Blocking Headphones

posted by mrpg on Sunday August 26 2018, @02:53AM   
from the smoke-gets-in-your-ears dept.

MrPlow writes:

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984

Current noise cancelling technology comes in the form of headphones and earbuds. To cancel noise, these headphones emit an anti-noise signal to contrast the external sounds. The time available for the headphones to produce this anti-noise signal is extremely short. This results in some noise getting through, which is why all these devices must cover the entire ear with noise-canceling material. However, wearing such ear-blocking devices for long periods of time is not comfortable, and can even be harmful.

"Our goal is to not block the ear canal," said Sheng Shen, lead author and a Ph.D. candidate in the Coordinated Science Laboratory and Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). "We envision a behind-the-ear device that still achieves noise cancellation as good as the best headphones or earbuds available today."

The main idea behind this research involves combining wireless IoT networks with noise cancellation. A microphone is placed in the environment that senses sounds and sends them over wireless signals to an earpiece. Since wireless signals travel a million times faster than sound, the earphone can receive the sound information much faster than the actual sound itself.

Source: Method to cancel noise without ear-blocking headphones

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Original Submission

• I'd be willing to try it I'd be willing to try it (Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Sunday August 26 2018, @05:09AM (1 child)

  by Runaway1956 (2926) on Sunday August 26 2018, @05:09AM (#726449) Homepage Journal

  The best ear protection I've ever used was only reasonably comfortable for a short period of time. After an hour or more, the best of them begin to irritate. Of course, this goes behind the ear? It can probably turn into an irritant as well, but maybe less of an irritant.

  The real question is, can you stand with someone between two giant Ingersoll Rand air compressors, and talk in normal voices? Or, beneath an aircraft turbine? Or under a ship's supercharger? That's the real test. Most of the time when you need ear protection, you simply cannot communicate with the guy beside you.

  --
  Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.

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• Re:I'd be willing to try it (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 28 2018, @11:05AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 28 2018, @11:05AM (#727295)

  Most of the time when you need ear protection, you simply cannot communicate with the guy beside you.

  And the guy beside you simply cannot communicate with you.

  Perfect for open plan offices, then.

  Parent