Feedforward Active Noise Reduction for Effective Audio Communication Systems

Creare proposes an innovative design for audio command, control, and communication systems. The Creare auditory system employs active noise reduction (ANR) that will reduce the harmful effects of high noise levels on personnel while simultaneously enhancing the speech intelligibility of electronic messages. Currently-available, off-the-shelf ANR audio systems provide between 10-20 dB of noise reduction for frequencies between 0.1 and 1kHz. The feedback alforithm they employ attenuates injected electronic messages as well as unwanted environmental noise and the feedback algorithm actually adds noise above 1 kHz. The Creare innovation uses a feedforward controller, which provides the ability to reduce noise by 30-40 dB over a wide electronic messages that are unaffected by the ANR algorithm. This approach will enhance audio command, control, and communication systems. During Phase I, we conclusively proved the feasibility of our innovation by conducting a system engineering analysis of the design, developing the feedforward algorithm, and fabricating and testing a laboratory bench top system. In Phase II, we will optimize the design, fabricate prototypes of the optimized design, and perform laboratory and field tests of the prototype units to verfy compliance with desired specifications.