title: Novel active noise-reducing headset using earshell vibration control
abstract: Active noise-reducing (ANR) headsets are available commercially in applications varying from aviation communication to consumer audio. Current ANR systems use passive attenuation at high frequencies and loudspeaker-based active noise control at low frequencies to achieve broadband noise reduction. This paper presents a novel ANR headset in which the external noise transmitted to the user's ear via earshell vibration is reduced by controlling the vibration of the earshell using force actuators acting against an inertial mass or the earshell headband. Model-based theoretical analysis using velocity feedback control showed that current piezoelectric actuators provide sufficient force but require lower stiffness for improved low-frequency performance. Control simulations based on experimental data from a laboratory headset showed that good performance can potentially be achieved in practice by a robust feedback controller, while a single-frequency real-time control experiment verified that noise reduction can be achieved using earshell vibration control
keyphrases: active noise-reducing headset earshell vibration control aviation communication consumer audio passive attenuation broadband noise reduction force actuators inertial mass velocity feedback control piezoelectric actuators stiffness robust feedback controller single-frequency real-time control external noise transmission