Headrest Audio Rendering for Surround Sound Without Ear Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Employees in open office environments face challenges with acoustic noise, leading to decreased focus, concentration, and productivity. Existing noise-cancellation solutions, such as headphones, are uncomfortable for long use and can cause health issues like ear fatigue and hearing loss.
Innovation Solution
A headrest apparatus equipped with first and second audio rendering devices, a processor, and memory, which receives audio portions of media content, determines audio channel signals, and controls the audio rendering devices to output specific audio channel signals, providing a surround sound experience without the need for direct contact with the user's ears.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If volume is increased to overcome external noise, then audibility is improved, but listening comfort and health are worsened due to potential hearing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the audio rendering function from traditional headphone designs and relocates it to the headrest apparatus. By taking out the audio output devices and positioning them in the headrest behind the user's ears, the system enables clear media content delivery at lower volumes, as the proximity to the ears and directional sound delivery provide adequate audibility without requiring high volume levels that would cause hearing damage
2Loss of information
If traditional headphones are used for media consumption, then personal audio experience is improved, but user comfort for long duration use is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional headphone design paradigm by moving the audio rendering devices from the ear-contact position to the headrest position behind the ears. This inversion allows users to experience high-quality personal audio through the headrest apparatus without the discomfort of prolonged headphone wear, as the audio devices are positioned away from direct ear contact while still delivering personalized sound fields
Data Source
AI summary
A headrest apparatus, a method, and a computer program product is provided for providing surround sound experience to user. The headrest apparatus receives an audio portion of a media content from an electronic device. The headrest apparatus determines a plurality of audio channel signals from the received audio portion. The determined plurality of audio channel signals includes at least a first set of audio channel signals. The headrest apparatus further controls a first audio rendering device, embedded at a first position in the headrest apparatus, to output a first audio channel signal of the first set of audio channel signals. The headrest apparatus further controls a second audio rendering device, embedded at a first position in the headrest apparatus, to output a second audio channel signal of the first set of audio channel signals.