Shoulder-Mounted Directional Speaker Ear Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional audio solutions, such as headphones and external speakers, either isolate users from their environment or disturb others with sound, making them impractical for private audio consumption in social settings.
Innovation Solution
A shoulder-mounted audio system with highly-directional speakers that use sensors to track the user's ear position and orientation, emitting sound waves with low beam divergence to transmit audio directly to the user's ears while minimizing disturbance to others, using ultrasound waves and parametric interaction to generate audible frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If headphones are used to provide high-fidelity audio, then audio quality is improved, but the user is isolated from the surrounding environment
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system is segmented into multiple independent directional speakers positioned at different locations (shoulders, hands, etc.) rather than a single headphone device. Each speaker can be independently controlled to direct sound waves toward the user's ears while maintaining awareness of the surrounding environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors (cameras, microphones, sensors) as intermediaries to detect the user's ear position and environmental sounds. These sensors mediate between the audio content and the user, enabling the system to dynamically adjust speaker orientation and maintain environmental awareness simultaneously.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If external speakers are used to maintain environmental awareness, then environmental awareness is improved, but sound disturbs other persons in the vicinity
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system implements local quality by directing sound waves in highly specific directions toward the user's ears using adjustable directional speakers. The sound energy is concentrated in narrow beams localized to the user's ear position, minimizing spread to surrounding areas and thus reducing disturbance to others while maintaining environmental awareness.
3Loss of information
If headphones are used for private audio consumption, then audio privacy is improved, but social acceptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The audio system is dynamic rather than static. The directional speakers can adjust their orientation and beam direction in real-time based on user movement and environmental conditions. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to maintain audio privacy like headphones while being worn externally like speakers, improving social acceptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to listen to audio content privately without isolating them from their environment, allowing for noise cancellation and enhancement without the need for head-mounted devices, making it suitable for socially acceptable use in various situations.
Implementation Method 1
at least one sensor configured to acquire sensor data associated with the ear of the user
Implementation Method 2
emitting sound waves with low beam divergence to transmit audio directly to the user's ears
Implementation Method 3
using ultrasound waves and parametric interaction to generate audible frequencies
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting an audio event to an ear of a user. The technique includes acquiring sensor data associated with the ear of the user and analyzing the sensor data to determine a position of the ear. The technique further includes determining a speaker orientation based on the position of the ear and a location of a shoulder-mounted speaker. The technique further includes causing the shoulder-mounted speaker to transmit the audio event to the ear of the user based on the speaker orientation.