Intelligent ear protection to address occupational hearing loss for use in heavy industry

Occupational hearing loss is the most prevalent occupational disease in industrialised countries with up to 24% of hearing impairment attributed to occupational noise. It is a Global challenge with significant economic social and physiological impacts-that results in preventable ill health for millions of people. In the US \> 10 MN workers suffer from the effects of hearing loss due to excessive noise exposures on the job with \>1.1M UK workers exposed to noise above 85dB and therefore at risk of hearing damage. Despite this prevalence, technological advancement in protection equipment in recent decades has been largely incremental, failing to keep pace with user requirements. Passive ear defenders (plugs/muffs) remain the mainstay providing a fixed level of protection but failing to address key user challenges such as interference with on-the job communication with users often required to remove hearing protection to communicate -- inadvertently exposing themselves to damaging noise, product misuse (studies indicating that up to 40% of workers are inadequately protected by earplugs through poor fitting) with limited awareness of the surrounding environment during use (audibility of safety/warning signals). Eartex seeks to address these challenges through the development of the first ear defender headset (EAVE) that uniquely combines the capability of real-time monitoring and reporting of noise exposure, personalised hearing protection and wireless communication into a single product and at a cost to enable mass deployment. Through the collaboration with machine learning expertise from London South Bank University the approach offers: 1\. Real-time audio filtering uniquely personalised to the user's environment. 2\. Advanced real time mapping of noise exposure to enable both site wide and personalised reporting 3\. Automated hearing test built into the device to indicate product misuse. With support through Innovate UK a 12 month programme of Research is required to deliver a prototype validated both in the laboratory and simulated environment. If successful this combined functionality has the potential to truly disrupt the hearables market with global exploitation potential as an Industry 4.0 product with wider potential in Healthcare and Consumer markets