The human auditory system has a limited ability to perceive distance and distinguish speakers in crowded settings. A headset technology that can create a sound bubble in which all speakers within the bubble are audible but speakers and noise outside the bubble are suppressed could augment human hearing. However, developing such technology is challenging. Here, we report an intelligent headset system capable of creating sound bubbles. The system is based on real-time neural networks that use acoustic data from up to six microphones integrated into noise-cancelling headsets and are run on the device, processing 8 ms audio chunks in 6.36 ms on an embedded central processing unit. Our neural networks can generate sound bubbles with programmable radii between 1 m and 2 m, and with output signals that reduce the intensity of sounds outside the bubble by 49 dB. With previously unseen environments and wearers, our system can focus on up to two speakers within the bubble, with one to two interfering speakers and noise outside the bubble.

人类听觉系统在拥挤的环境中感知距离和区分说话人的能力有限。一种可以产生音泡的耳机技术，其中气泡内的所有扬声器都可以听到，但气泡外的扬声器和噪音被抑制，可以增强人类的听觉。然而，开发此类技术具有挑战性。在这里，我们报告了一种能够产生音泡的智能耳机系统。该系统基于实时神经网络，使用来自集成到降噪耳机中的多达六个麦克风的声学数据，并在设备上运行，在嵌入式中央处理器上以 6.36 毫秒的速度处理 8 毫秒的音频块。我们的神经网络可以生成具有 1 m 到 2 m 之间可编程半径的音泡，其输出信号可将气泡外的声音强度降低 49 dB。对于以前看不见的环境和佩戴者，我们的系统可以专注于气泡内的最多两个扬声器，以及气泡外的一到两个干扰扬声器和噪音。