Inventor(s): Sen-Maw Kuo
Abstract
The electronic pillow/headrest technology offers active noise control of unwanted noises by microphone detection of such noise, analysis of the unwanted noise, and production of corresponding anti-noise to the unwanted noise via speakers, thereby abating the unwanted noise. The pillow/headrest technology also offers a method of hands-free communication by sending and receiving sound waves in connection with a phone interface. An additional feature includes the recording and monitoring of sleep disorders, by recording noises produced by a sleeper with microphones encased in the pillow.
Potential commercial use and users:
Portable pillow model use by frequent travelers, hospitals, sleep clinics, or at home for the comfort of "snore-annoyed" sleep partners. Fixed headrest use by private and public transportation manufacturers, furniture manufacturers, hospital beds.
Advantages:
This unique pillow/headrest offers many features and possesses much versatility. The technology can either be produced as a custom-sized comfortable pillow or as a permanent fixture in headboards or headrests. The wide variety of features include self contained systems for unwanted noise abatement (including snoring), and capabilities for integration with other devices such as a cell phone for hands-free communication and/or hospital equipment to record and monitor patient's vitals.
Related Publications: (see www.ceet.niu.edu/faculty/kuo for details)
Sen M. Kuo and Dennis R. Morgan, Active Noise Control Systems- Algorithms and DSP Implementations, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, 1996.
Sen M. Kuo and Dennis R. Morgan, "Active Noise Control," Chapter 49 in Springer Handbook of Speech Processing and Speech Communications, Edited by J. Benestry, Y.Huang, and M. Sondhi, pp. 1001-1017, Berlin Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 2008
Sen M. Kuo, Sreeram R. Chakravarthy, Rakesh Gireddy, and Abhijit Gupta, "Experiment of Active Snore Noise Control Systems," Noise Control Engineering Journal, vol. 56, no. 1, Jan-Feb., 2008, pp. 16-24.
Status: Patent Pending
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