Donald W Barker

US Patent:

20050201576, Sep 15, 2005

Filed:

Mar 2, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/070487

Inventors:

Donald Barker - Houston TX, US
Gregory Delory - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

H04R005/02
H04B001/00
H04R001/02

US Classification:

381301000, 381333000, 381388000

Abstract:

Apparatus, systems and methods are provided for a planetary suit audio system that allows a suited occupant to acoustically interact, using three dimensional surround sound and directional accuracy, with and within the ambient surface environment. This is being developed directly for integration into future versions of a Martian surface suit. The hardware and apparatus incorporates a system that requires a low power suit interface, an intelligent digital signal processing (DSP) sound chip, appropriately integrated and tested sound processing Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) algorithms, integrated communications system circuitry, miniaturized electric eternal microphone arrays and speakers, and occupant used internal suit speakers or headsets. It has been found that the pressure at the Martian surface (equivalent to 99,000 feet in altitude on the Earth) supports the appropriate acoustical properties to allow for standard environmental auditory interaction. Exploration of the surface of Mars will require crews to routinely work within the confined spaces of environmental pressure suits during missions lasting as much a 500 days. The use of traditional suits means that operators have to adapt to an internal environment that limits the amount of direct sensory interaction with the external environment. Incorporating external audio capabilities has a major impact of providing the extravehicular activity (EVA) or surface operations crewmember with a second natural means of interacting with, and exploring their environment. This will also make the operating environment more tangible and comfortable for daily operations. Given this apparatus, crews will have the ability to judge actions, environmental conditions, and equipment operations based on auditory inputs, thus promoting increased operational safety and mission success.