{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":6982,"title":"Microphone Array Signal Processing and Active Noise Control for the In-Helmet Speech Communication, Phase I","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10691,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10688,"level":3,"code":"TX06.2.3","title":"Informatics and Decision Support Systems","definition":"The Informatics system collects and transfers several types of non-critical data to and from other mission assets, provides avionics hardware to perform numerous data display and in-suit processing functions, and furnishes information and decision support systems to supply data and guidance that enables crewmembers to perform their tasks with more autonomy, higher performance, and/or greater efficiency.","exampleTechnologies":"EVA informatics, suit-integrated personal locating technologies, graphical displays, advanced crew to informatics interfaces","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":7,"currentTrl":8,"endTrl":8,"benefits":"Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The research will lead to the commercialization of two possible products/services: 1) voice communication devices working in adverse acoustic environments (e.g., those for pilots in a cockpit of an airplane, for soldiers in a combating vehicle, and for athletics in a race car.); and 2) more noise and reverberation resistant voice communication services for hearing-impaired and elderly people.","description":"Widely varying working conditions of a space shuttle and the special design of an astronaut's spacesuit form an extreme acoustic environment that imposes unique challenges for capturing and transmitting speech communications to and from a crewmember. NASA has a serious unmet need for innovative voice communication systems and technologies, which provide enhanced speech intelligibility and quality, comfort and ease of use, and adequate hearing protection. This project will build on knowledge and recent breakthroughs produced by painstaking research at Bell Labs and WeVoice, Inc., in acoustic and speech signal processing for hands-free communications. It brings together the state-of-the-art and patent-pending techniques in microphone arrays, speech enhancement, and active noise control, and proposes an integrated, more reliable solution for combating high-level noise and strong reverberation. This proof-of-feasibility research will focus primarily on whether the proposed techniques that were previously developed for applications in room acoustic environments can perform as well as or better than we expect in an in-helmet acoustic environment. In addition, this research will use informal listening tests to demonstrate performance improvement and will design a subjective program that can be readily executed in Phase II to rigorously evaluate the overall system performance. The Phase I effort will provide a foundation for prototype design to be conducted in Phase II.","startYear":2008,"startMonth":2,"endYear":2008,"endMonth":8,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":500801,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Yiteng (Arden)","lastName":"Huang","fullName":"Yiteng (arden) Huang","fullNameInverted":"Huang, Yiteng (arden)","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false},{"contactId":500800,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Yiteng","lastName":"Huang","fullName":"Yiteng Huang","fullNameInverted":"Huang, Yiteng","primaryEmail":"ardenhuang@gmail.com","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":305,"projectId":6982,"transitionDate":"2008-08-01","path":"Closed Out","details":"Microphone Array Signal Processing and Active Noise Control for the In-Helmet Speech Communication, Phase I Project Image","infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"August 2008"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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