Whisphone: Whispering Input Earbuds

Abstract

Whisphone is a novel earbud device designed for speech input via whispering. Utilizing canal-type earbuds with a unique microphone placement at the tip of the earplug, it effectively captures whispered voices radiated in the ear canal through bone conduction. This design can boost whispered voice volume with ear canal occlusion effect while simultaneously blocking external noise by sealing the ear hole. By incorporating Active Noise Canceling (ANC), Whisphone can effectively detect subtle whispers, even in noisy environments of up to 80dB(A). Its compact and comfortable design ensures discreet wearability, allowing users to interact with AI assistants hands-free without disturbing others in various daily situations such as offices, homes, or urban public spaces.

10 pages, 5 figures. This is the English version of the paper: FUKUMOTO Masaaki. Whisphone: Whispering Input Earbuds. In Proceedings of WISS2024. pp.30-37 (2024) (in Japanese). Original paper (in Japanese): https://www.wiss.org/WISS2024Proceedings/data/paper/5.pdf . Demo video: https://www.wiss.org/WISS2024Proceedings/data/paper/5.mp4