Innovations That Enhance Acoustic Performance

Very cool use of Neural Networks on Microcontrollers and winner of an honorable mention at CHI 2024—Shyam Gollakota at the University of Washington in Seattle and his colleagues have created headphones that can remove any unwanted noises while leaving others intact, regardless of their frequencies. The headphones can also be trained by pressing a button to hone in on a specific person’s voice and exclude all other noise. Their neural network runs on an Orange Pi microcontroller! The big idea: In crowded settings, the human brain can focus on a specific speaker's voice if it knows how it sounds. They built an intelligent hearable system replicating this ability, allowing users to isolate target speech amid noise and other voices. Unlike previous methods requiring a clean speech example, their system uses a short, noisy audio sample of the target speaker, captured by the wearer looking at them for a few seconds. This approach significantly improves signal quality and works efficiently on embedded CPUs, demonstrating effective performance in diverse real-world environments without needing clean audio samples. Get the code and training samples here: https://lnkd.in/gQn_Za4d Read the paper: https://lnkd.in/gaYd3yyD

Thrilled to share our Nature Electronics paper that creates sound bubbles with AI-powered hearables. Paper: https://rdcu.be/d0bYE Videos and code: https://lnkd.in/ghS4XAAE Imagine having the ability to create a sound bubble where all speakers within the bubble are audible, but speakers and noise outside are suppressed. For example, envision a scenario where a person desires to eliminate all the noise in a restaurant but effortlessly tunes in to the conversation at their table. While noise-canceling headphones can suppress sounds around the wearer, they cannot perceive distance or selectively program acoustic scenes based on speaker distances. The distance perception of the human auditory system is also limited, and although we can determine the angular direction of a sound source, estimating distance is more challenging. We developed real-time neural networks that create sound bubbles with adjustable radii of 1–2 meters. We introduced the first dataset of audio recordings capturing head-related reflections and reverberations by distance in real-world. Finally, we built hardware integrating a noise-canceling headset with six microphones, powered by our real-time acoustic bubble network on a Raspberry Pi. We demo various applications including mobility, with speakers entering the bubble, multiple overlapping speakers and no speakers within the bubble. Taking a step back, this addresses the cocktail party problem has been a long-standing challenge for headsets, hearing aids and now smart glasses. Tuochao Chen, Malek Itani, Sefik Emre Eskimez,Takuya Yoshioka

A breakthrough in audio engineering has been achieved by a team of researchers led by yun jing a professor at Penn State University. They have pioneered the concept of "audible enclaves," allowing for private listening without the need for headphones. By emitting two nonlinear ultrasonic beams, these audible enclaves create localized pockets of sound zones. In these enclaves, individuals can hear sound while others nearby cannot, even in enclosed spaces like vehicles or directly in front of the audio source. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on March 17, the study details how this innovative technology precisely narrows where sound is perceived, offering a unique listening experience at the intersection point of the ultrasonic beams. https://lnkd.in/gyYyuFww

How Scientists Created a Unidirectional Path for Sound That Could Transform Wave Technology Researchers break sound wave reciprocity, opening new possibilities for advanced communication and sensing systems. Overview: Scientists have successfully created a unidirectional path for sound waves, breaking the fundamental principle of reciprocity—the symmetrical propagation of sound between sender and receiver. This breakthrough could revolutionize acoustic technologies, including sonar systems, noise-canceling devices, and communication networks. By restricting sound waves to travel in one direction, researchers have addressed a long-standing limitation in wave-based technologies. What Is Reciprocity in Sound Waves? • Bidirectional Nature: In standard acoustic systems, sound waves travel symmetrically between two points. If Person A can hear Person B, the reverse is also true. • The Challenge: Reciprocity can cause signal reflections and interference, limiting the performance of communication and sensing systems. • Non-Reciprocal Sound Waves: By breaking reciprocity, scientists can control sound propagation, allowing it to move in only one direction while preventing backflow or unwanted reflections. How Researchers Broke Sound Reciprocity: • Acoustic Metamaterials: Scientists used specialized materials designed to manipulate sound wave propagation. • Asymmetrical Structures: These materials were engineered to allow sound waves to move freely in one direction while blocking them in the opposite direction. • Dynamic Modulation: Researchers applied external stimuli, like magnetic fields or electronic signals, to guide sound waves selectively along a predetermined path. Why This Breakthrough Matters: 1. Improved Communication Systems: Non-reciprocal sound wave paths reduce signal loss and interference, enhancing the efficiency of acoustic communication networks. 2. Advanced Noise Control: Devices can now block unwanted sound reflections, improving the performance of noise-canceling technologies. 3. Enhanced Sonar and Ultrasound: Medical imaging and underwater sonar systems can achieve clearer, more accurate signal reception without disruptive backscatter. 4. Energy Efficiency: Unidirectional sound systems minimize energy loss caused by reflections, making devices more efficient. Applications of Unidirectional Sound Technology: • Sonar Systems: Enhanced underwater detection and mapping with reduced interference. • Medical Imaging (Ultrasound): Clearer imaging results by eliminating signal distortions caused by bidirectional sound waves. • Acoustic Communication Devices: Improved audio clarity in smart devices, hearing aids, and home assistant technologies. • Noise-Canceling Infrastructure: Better soundproofing in buildings, vehicles, and public spaces.

What if you could have headphones made of air? In the previous posts of my series for sensory technologies, I shared about technological innovations for the senses of smell and taste. In this final post, I am sharing a breakthrough in directional sound technology that creates "sound bubbles" that only you can hear. Imagine hearing a voice or a sound in a noisy room, but no one else can hear it. No headphones. No speakers. Just a private beam of sound, directly into your ears. An Israeli startup, Noveto has developed SoundBeaming technology that delivers sound directly to a listener's ears without headphones or visible speakers. This "sound without sound" approach uses advanced beam-forming technology combined with 3D tracking to locate your ears in space and deliver audio precision-targeted to them. The technology works by using ultrasonic waves that converge at specific points near your ears, creating small "sound pockets" that only you can hear. A facial tracking system ensures the sound follows your movements, maintaining a consistent listening experience even as you move around. Where could this be useful? -> Office setups: Listen to meetings or music without disturbing others -> Home entertainment: Create truly immersive AR/VR experiences without isolating headphones -> Retail and museums: Provide targeted audio for individual users -> Accessibility: Help those with hearing impairments focus on speech What makes this particularly interesting is how it maintains our connection to our physical environment while enhancing it with personalized audio. Unlike headphones that isolate us from our surroundings, this technology integrates digital sound into our natural auditory experience. As all these technologies mature, we are approaching a future where our digital experiences engage all our senses, creating richer, more immersive interactions that blur the boundaries between virtual and physical reality. But while they make us feel 'more connected', they also risk 'disconnecting us' from the real world. It’s a paradox worth reflecting on—so let’s see what the future holds. [Image Credits: TheConversation]