System for Enhanced Communications in High Noise Environments

"Creare proposes to design, fabricate, and test a system that will simultaneously protect personnel working in extremely high noise environments and enhance voice communications. Current Air Force ground crews are forced to work in close proximity toaircraft engines that produce in excess of 150 db of noise, which can result in noise-induced hearing loss after brief exposures without sufficient hearing protection. These flight and ground crews also have a need to communicate with other personnel.However, no existing hearing protection system offers the right level of noise reduction for these crews to work safely in extreme noise environments while simultaneously enhancing the communication signal for effective communication.Our extreme noise communication enhancement system is based on combined passive and active noise reduction technologies and will mitigate the contribution of both air- and bone-conducted noise on the inner ear while improving speech communications. Duringthe Phase I project, we will demonstrate innovative algorithms for enhancing communication signals in high noise environments and develop a design of a system for enhanced communications in high noise environments. During the Phase II project, we willfabricate and test a prototype system for enhanced communications in high noise environments. The Creare system for enhanced communications in high noise environments will reduce the harmful effects of long durati