Next Generation Passive Hearing Protection

Hearing Armor, LLC has a non-linear earplug that can protect a Marine"s hearing while permitting the Marine to hear spoken command and retain situational awareness. Hearing Armor, LLC has produced prototypes that come very near to meeting the specifications identified in SBIR N123-154. The Hearing Armor technology does so without moving parts and without electronics, utilizing a patent pending design. The Hearing Armor uses a deep-ear insertion earplug with a membrane held in a clamped plate that resists loud sounds, withstands up to a two-atmosphere overpressure, and permits normal sounds to be heard. Hearing Armor is encased in an inert soft multi-component silicone invented by the U.S. Navy to attenuate sounds at the frequencies associated with munitions, and muzzle blast. Hearing Armor, LLC respectfully proposes to conduct research and development to enable the refinement of the Hearing Armor technology to achieve the noise attenuation specifications set forth in SBIR N123-154. If successful in Phase I, Hearing Armor can use Phase II for refinement to permit production of the earplug in small, medium and large to fit the majority of Marines as required by SBIR N123-154. Phase II would include laboratory testing and field-testing prove the earplug"s efficacy and utility.