Spatial Audio Navigation via Dynamic Acoustic Transparency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional head-worn devices for navigation assistance often block ambient sounds due to their passive noise cancellation design, which can hinder the user's ability to perceive their environment effectively.
Innovation Solution
A computerized method in a head-worn device that switches between navigation audio rendering modes based on detected objects, using microphones to capture ambient sound and a camera to detect objects, allowing for the reproduction of ambient sounds and sonification of detected objects to assist navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If passive noise cancellation design is used to block ambient sounds, then noise isolation is improved, but user awareness of environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between passive noise cancellation mode and acoustic transparency mode based on detected object proximity. When objects are detected within threshold distance, the system transitions from blocking ambient sounds to reproducing them, allowing users to maintain noise isolation when safe while regaining environmental awareness when obstacles are present.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the acoustic parameter state by switching between two distinct audio rendering modes. In the first mode, ambient sound reproduction is enabled with noise cancellation disabled; in the second mode, ambient sound reproduction is disabled with noise cancellation enabled. This parameter change allows the system to adapt noise isolation levels based on environmental context.
2Loss of information
If acoustic transparency function is activated to reproduce ambient sounds, then environmental awareness is improved, but noise isolation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts acoustic transparency based on real-time object detection. When no obstacles are detected within threshold distance, the system activates acoustic transparency to reproduce ambient sounds, enhancing environmental awareness. When obstacles are detected, the system deactivates acoustic transparency to restore noise isolation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from object detection sensors to control the acoustic transparency function. The detection of objects within threshold distance provides feedback that triggers the system to switch from acoustic transparency mode to noise cancellation mode, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to environmental conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If active noise cancellation is used to block ambient sounds, then noise isolation is improved, but user perception of environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between active noise cancellation and acoustic transparency based on detected object proximity. When objects are detected within threshold distance, the system transitions from active noise cancellation to acoustic transparency, allowing users to perceive environmental sounds when obstacles are present while maintaining noise isolation when the environment is clear.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If earphones physically block ear canal to cancel noise, then noise isolation is improved, but ambient sound perception deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls the acoustic transparency function based on object detection. When objects are detected within threshold distance, the system activates acoustic transparency to reproduce ambient sounds through the earphones, allowing users to perceive environmental sounds despite the physical blockage of the ear canal. When no obstacles are detected, the system deactivates acoustic transparency to maintain noise isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing navigation assistance using a head-worn device that has a camera, several microphones, and several speakers. The method captures sound in an environment as a plurality of microphone audio signals, captures, using the camera, a scene of the environment as a digital image, and processes the digital image to detect an object therein. The method selects, in response to the detection of the object, one of several navigation audio rendering modes. The several navigation audio rendering modes include a first mode that activates an acoustic transparency function to cause the speakers to reproduce the sound of the environment, a second mode that sonifies the object and activates the acoustic transparency function, and a third mode that sonifies the object, partially activates the acoustic transparency function, and an activates active noise cancellation function.