Actuator Design and Development for Optimized CIC Audio

Advancements in subminiature earphone drivers will provide needed improvements in active noise reduction (ANR) earplug attenuation magnitudes and bandwidth. Prior investigations have illustrated a need for improvements in frequency response, sound power output, geometrical configurations, and ease of manufacturing for drivers that are optimized for military ANR earplug applications. This Phase II program builds on successful theoretical descriptions for improved earphone driver parameters, and specific conceptual improvements that were proven with Phase I prototypes. Phase II program objectives seek to continue improving the prototype earphone driver designs and identify low-risk paths to reasonable-cost manufacturing methods. Adaptive Technologies, Inc. has extensive experience designing completely-in-the-canal ANR earplugs. Past development work has led to new open-loop earphone driver characteristics that will improve their attenuation performance. Phase II earphone drivers will be built to meet those characteristics. This program is expected to end with high yield manufacturing plans in place for improved earphone drivers that provide at least twice the ANR performance of conventional driver designs.