4 ms·

OpenEarable: A new, open-source, Arduino-based platform for ear-based sensing

78 points by petemir 3y ago

wiml 3y ago
Weird website, looks like it was copied from somewhere that had more information. What is the inward-facing ultrasonic microphone for?
- moron4hire 3y ago
  Just a guess, as I only know a little about hearing aids, but maybe it's to measure the acoustic properties of the ear canal to be able to dynamically reproject the frequency spectrum of incoming sound to bands that the ear in question can actually hear.
  - petemir 3y ago
    Yes. There is research dealing e.g. with ear canal-based authentication. Other earables (Omnibuds by Nokia Bell Labs http://omnibuds.tech/ http://omnibuds.tech/) use the inward-facing microphone to detect the sound of the heartbeat. With this (plus a PPG sensor) they can estimate blood pressure (after calibration).
amingilani 3y ago
What are "ear-based sensing applications" and what does "sensing platform for earable research and development" mean?
- mcshicks 3y ago
  On thing that I've read about is ear based EEG. Easier simpler contact for things like sleep studies. They don't list that as supported, but it is an example. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear-EEG https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear-EEG
- petemir 3y ago
  Sorry, as I worked in research with these I assumed they were well-known terms, but some info: https://www.esense.io/ https://www.esense.io/ http://omnibuds.tech/ http://omnibuds.tech/ (Both from Nokia Bell Labs) And a literature review from the designer of the OpenEarables: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3550314 https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3550314
  - J_tt 3y ago
    Relevant [xkcd](https://xkcd.com/2501/ https://xkcd.com/2501/)
- glenngillen 3y ago
  Though they never explicitly confirmed, I think some of this of tech was what enabled the dynamic and personalised equalisation adjustment in Nura headphones.
- bbor 3y ago
  One of them is authentication, or at least in principle. Seems somehow much less dystopian than the eye thing Altman's doing, but I can't exactly put my finger on why that is...
- rapjr9 3y ago
  Eating detection might be one application: https://auracleproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/bi-ubicomp18.pdf https://auracleproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/bi-ubicom... https://auracle-project.org/ https://auracle-project.org/
_Microft 3y ago
Link to the paper (pdf): https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf
nl 3y ago
From the paper[1] since the website fails to explain this (!): > Earables are ear-worn devices that offer functionalities beyond basic audio in- and output. In this paper we present the ongoing de- velopment of a new, open-source, Arduino-based earable platform called OpenEarable. It is based on standard components, is easy to manufacture and costs roughly $40 per device at batch size ten. > We demonstrate the versatility of the prototyping platform through three different example application scenarios. The three example apps are: > Measuring motion on the ear is a common application in the earable space which can be used for a number of applications > A popular ear canal pressure application is the detection of jaw motions > It is possible for the ultrasonic microphone to pick up an inaudible signal from the speaker. This information can be used to understand the shape of the ear canal because the sound is reflected differently depending on the shape, a principle which can be used for authentication The paper also mentioned ClearBuds[1] which looks interesting too. [1] https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf [2] https://clearbuds.cs.washington.edu/ https://clearbuds.cs.washington.edu/
- moron4hire 3y ago
  It seems like they are going a long way out of their way to not have to say "hearing aids". Prescription hearing aids are expensive, and they aren't just amps that make sounds "louder". An open source hearing aid project, if it could dramatically reduce the price, could be a huge benefit to a lot of people.
  - petemir 3y ago
    I guess that’s because hearing aids is a restricting term and these are more versatile. Furthermore, probably calling them “hearing aid” would lead to costly clinical regulation that they cannot afford as an open-source research device.
    - riedel 3y ago
      I would also highly recomment rather getting actual hearing aids if you want those. The audio part is not quite the focus. Cool to see them pop up here, as my colleague Tobi built them here at our lab and is now pushing a spin off. Actually to get an impression what is possible with ear sensing I am still fascinated by this application Tobi did before building openearable, which uses in ear muscle contraction for doing interaction (next song, etc): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPTCJ4lt4CE https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPTCJ4lt4CE
codetrotter 3y ago
Do you need one for left and one for right ear, or just one of either? If just one of either, how do you decide which one to get? On the one hand, if I am right handed, I might find it more easy to quickly take it on and off if it's on the right side. But at the same time, that would also mean that whenever I answer my phone I'd also have to take it out first. Unless it can also be paired with the phone and used when answering calls.

78 points by petemir 3y ago

wiml 3y ago

Weird website, looks like it was copied from somewhere that had more information. What is the inward-facing ultrasonic microphone for?

moron4hire 3y ago
Just a guess, as I only know a little about hearing aids, but maybe it's to measure the acoustic properties of the ear canal to be able to dynamically reproject the frequency spectrum of incoming sound to bands that the ear in question can actually hear.
- petemir 3y ago
  Yes. There is research dealing e.g. with ear canal-based authentication. Other earables (Omnibuds by Nokia Bell Labs http://omnibuds.tech/ http://omnibuds.tech/) use the inward-facing microphone to detect the sound of the heartbeat. With this (plus a PPG sensor) they can estimate blood pressure (after calibration).

amingilani 3y ago

What are "ear-based sensing applications" and what does "sensing platform for earable research and development" mean?

mcshicks 3y ago
On thing that I've read about is ear based EEG. Easier simpler contact for things like sleep studies. They don't list that as supported, but it is an example. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear-EEG https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear-EEG
petemir 3y ago
Sorry, as I worked in research with these I assumed they were well-known terms, but some info: https://www.esense.io/ https://www.esense.io/ http://omnibuds.tech/ http://omnibuds.tech/ (Both from Nokia Bell Labs) And a literature review from the designer of the OpenEarables: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3550314 https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3550314
- J_tt 3y ago
  Relevant [xkcd](https://xkcd.com/2501/ https://xkcd.com/2501/)
glenngillen 3y ago
Though they never explicitly confirmed, I think some of this of tech was what enabled the dynamic and personalised equalisation adjustment in Nura headphones.
bbor 3y ago
One of them is authentication, or at least in principle. Seems somehow much less dystopian than the eye thing Altman's doing, but I can't exactly put my finger on why that is...
rapjr9 3y ago
Eating detection might be one application: https://auracleproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/bi-ubicomp18.pdf https://auracleproject.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/bi-ubicom... https://auracle-project.org/ https://auracle-project.org/

_Microft 3y ago

Link to the paper (pdf): https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf

nl 3y ago

From the paper[1] since the website fails to explain this (!): > Earables are ear-worn devices that offer functionalities beyond basic audio in- and output. In this paper we present the ongoing de- velopment of a new, open-source, Arduino-based earable platform called OpenEarable. It is based on standard components, is easy to manufacture and costs roughly $40 per device at batch size ten. > We demonstrate the versatility of the prototyping platform through three different example application scenarios. The three example apps are: > Measuring motion on the ear is a common application in the earable space which can be used for a number of applications > A popular ear canal pressure application is the detection of jaw motions > It is possible for the ultrasonic microphone to pick up an inaudible signal from the speaker. This information can be used to understand the shape of the ear canal because the sound is reflected differently depending on the shape, a principle which can be used for authentication The paper also mentioned ClearBuds[1] which looks interesting too. [1] https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf https://open-earable.teco.edu/OpenEarable.pdf [2] https://clearbuds.cs.washington.edu/ https://clearbuds.cs.washington.edu/

moron4hire 3y ago
It seems like they are going a long way out of their way to not have to say "hearing aids". Prescription hearing aids are expensive, and they aren't just amps that make sounds "louder". An open source hearing aid project, if it could dramatically reduce the price, could be a huge benefit to a lot of people.
- petemir 3y ago
  I guess that’s because hearing aids is a restricting term and these are more versatile. Furthermore, probably calling them “hearing aid” would lead to costly clinical regulation that they cannot afford as an open-source research device.
  - riedel 3y ago
    I would also highly recomment rather getting actual hearing aids if you want those. The audio part is not quite the focus. Cool to see them pop up here, as my colleague Tobi built them here at our lab and is now pushing a spin off. Actually to get an impression what is possible with ear sensing I am still fascinated by this application Tobi did before building openearable, which uses in ear muscle contraction for doing interaction (next song, etc): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPTCJ4lt4CE https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dPTCJ4lt4CE

codetrotter 3y ago

Do you need one for left and one for right ear, or just one of either? If just one of either, how do you decide which one to get? On the one hand, if I am right handed, I might find it more easy to quickly take it on and off if it's on the right side. But at the same time, that would also mean that whenever I answer my phone I'd also have to take it out first. Unless it can also be paired with the phone and used when answering calls.