Active Ear Protection

[Todg]

Introduced at TL7, active ear protection replaces conventional ear plugs in situations where protection from loud noise is required without affecting regular hearing. Early versions are nothing more than earmuff with electronic circuitry that limits the volume of sound passed to the user to a certain decibel level. And noise above this level will be suppressed down to the threshhold level. More advanced bersions are small, and can be worn in the ear canal like a conventional hearing aide.

In addition, active ear protection can be used to amplify ambient sound, so that the wearer can hear noises at a greater range. The most sophisticated version use antinoise to cancel out certain noise without effecting other noise.

As initially introduced, active ear 'muffs' are relatively large and cost about Cr75. Smaller, in the ear models are much more costly, at Cr250 for analog models and Cr600 for fully digital versions. By TL10, the cost of the smaller version has dropped to Cr100 for the most advanced model. Battery life for in-the-ear model is 40 hours for analog, and 400 hours for digital. Muff style protectors have a continuous battery life of of 500 hours.

Note: This was discussed on the TML, and someone opined that this type of deice would be available by TL9. I pointed out that this kind of gear is already available, and has been for a while. Most shoters are probably familiar with active or electronic ear muff or plugs.

Anyone who gets in a firefight, particularly in an enclosed area like a ship, without some kind of hearing protection should be penalized.

Reference: http://espamerica.com/

 

[Morte]

Originally posted by Corejob:
Note: This was discussed on the TML, and someone opined that this type of deice would be available by TL9. I pointed out that this kind of gear is already available, and has been for a while.

Often the way with electronics...

 

[kaladorn]

On the other hand, a palmtop nowadays could out process a Model 1/bis. The weights and costs for computers are so badly busted in CT (relative to their capability) that it probably *would* be appropriate for this to be available at TL9 in that kind of universe....

 

[Todg]

Originally posted by kaladorn:
On the other hand, a palmtop nowadays could out process a Model 1/bis. The weights and costs for computers are so badly busted in CT (relative to their capability) that it probably *would* be appropriate for this to be available at TL9 in that kind of universe....

Since it uses the same technology that is used in hearing aids, whenever that tech becomes available would be the correct tech.

Once again, Vilani resistance to change strikes. So once again, I ask, why does the Imperium have superior tech to the SolCon when there are no such cultural blocks to technological advancement?

 

[Straybow]

I have a set of plugs that are completely passive but incredibly effective. Marketed as Explosion And Rifle plugs. They have a piston-like device inside that floats at low sound pressure level but clips the peaks of high spl noises.

ANSI/OSHA (or whatever) testing averages only 6 decibels reduction. Subjectively it seems to clip the painful high frequencies leaving the voice frequencies alone. I experimented with headphones up to volume levels that would have been way over pain threshold. The perceived level never got uncomfortable.

I used them all the time at the rifle range, but after a while the plastic got hard and they irritate my ear canals. Can't find replacements.

 

[Todg]

EAR is still inbusiness, but they don't market that style of earplug any more. I have a similar type, made from soft orange silicon rubber with a metal cartridge having a valve in it. It's supposed to clip loud noises. Don't know the maker.

It looks like electronic muffs have displaced the older mechanical ear protection. And the Same company that owns EAR, owns Peltor - a major maker of electronic muffs. Probably, the old style piston type were discontinued so you'd have to buy their electric ones.

Buggers.

 

[travellerne]

I've worn active hearing protection before. It's true, you really can hear a quiet conversation on the other side of the range while it completely stops the blast from a nearby firearm. I forget the brand name but they costs about $150.

A friend of mine said he would wear them in a home defense situation so that he could hear the intruder better than with regular hearing and not be effected by the noise of a gunshot.

K.