Active Listening.  A system designed to restore hearing when ears are protected from noises with either ear plugs or muff style headsets.  The system uses microphones to pick up noises and a speaker to replay them inside the hearing protector.

Active Noise Reduction.  A noise reduction system that only works between 20-500mHz. Human hearing is accepted to be between 20hz and 20,000hz.

Adaptive Noise Reduction.  A full audio spectrum noise reduction system that removes continuous background noise by up to 12dB.

AJ-107.  A type of female break-away connector. 

Algorithm. Software algorithms are a set of instructions, these instructions are used to perform the precise complex DSP actions.

Analogue. Analogue is an older technology which process audio and speech electrically as oppose to Bits (numbers), which means a computer can not manipulate the audio as in a DSP. 

AP-107.  A type of male break-away connector.

Attack Time.  This is how fast the headset electronics can react to an impulse noise and prevent its  damaging effects reaching the inner ear.

Binaurial.  Ability to split the audio into each ear.  In our case monitor 1 radio in the left ear and the other radio in the right ear.

Bionic Ears/Hearing.  This is the ability to hear above and beyond the level of normal human hearing. This system increases the volume of quieter sounds or uses microphones more sensitive than ears.

Boom Mic.  A microphone on a flexible neck that is used in our case for radio voice transmit (TX).  The microphone at the end of the flexible neck can be Electret or Dynamic.

Breakaway Connector. See Quick Disconnect Connector

Continuous Noise.  Noises such as engines which last longer are called continuous noise.

Decibels. Acronym is dB.  Used to measure sound and is loudness.  Every 10dB doubles the loudness.

Digital.  See DSP.

DSP.  DSP is Digital Signal Processing. It is the manner in which audio and speech signals are processed digitally (sequence of numbers called Bits) before they get to the ear. This allows for fine tuning and unwanted audio removal. In addition, DSPs can use multi microphone inputs (such as Threat4’s x-62000)

Dynamic Microphone.  A microphone that operates without power. In our case military applications use Dynamic microphones.

ECM. Electret Condenser Microphone is that requires power. In our case commercial/public safety applications.

Electret Condenser Microphone. See ECM

Farraday Cage.  A conductive cage that absorbs radio frequency and electromagnetic interference and prevents these interferences from reaching the PCB.

Game Ears. See Bionic Ears.

Hear-thru. See Active Listening

ICS. Inter-Communications System, an intercom.

Impulse Noise.  Noises that happen and end suddenly are called impulse noises, such as gun shots and explosions.

In-ear Headset.  A headset that has the audio receiving device in the ear, like an earplug.

Latching Button. A button that stays depressed once clicked down.

LMR.  Land Mobile Radio.  These are radios that are portable and used on land.

MBITR.  Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio, created by Thales and United States Special Operations Command.

MIL-STD-810F.  A testing standard developed by the US Military in order to test the mechanical/physical tolerances of a product.  Testing includes temperature, altitude, shock, vibrations, submersion, dust, rain, and UV light.

Momentary Button. A button that only depresses when held.

NIHL. Noise Induced Hearing Loss, this is hearing loss caused by noise

Over-the-ear Headset.  A headset that has a cup over the entire outside of the ear.

PCB.  Printed Circuit Board.  This is the physical fibreglass board that houses the electronics to make a product work

PRC. Portable Radio Communicator.  A radio.

PTT.  A button that activates radio transmit (TX)

Push-to-talk. See PTT.

Quick Disconnect Connector. A connector that can quickly mate and un-mate.

RF. Radio Frequency, the wave containing the audio produced by the radio

RX.  This acronym means radio receive.

Shield.  Litterally a shield.  In our case a shield provides protection from radio frequency interference and electromagnetic interference.

Situational Awareness.  The ability to hear noises. With noise protecting headsets, an Active Listening system is required to have situational awareness.  Situational awareness does not mean you know where the sound came from when you hear it, see Sound Localization.

Sound Localization.  The ability to discern where a sound comes from when you here it. Particularly what direction the sound came from.

Talk-through. See Active Listening

TCAPS.  Tactical Communications and Protective Systems.  This is a US Army program designed to identify headsets that meet three (3) criteria.  1. Noise Protection 2. Situational Awareness 3. Radio Communications.

Temple Transducer.  A bone conduction headset that vibrates the audio into the fatty tissue of your head instead of using speakers.  This allows ears to remain open, and allows the use of earplugs.

Tinnitus.  A permanent ringing in the ears caused by noise induced hearing damage, see NIMH.

Toggle Switch.  A switch that can toggle between functions, in our case a 3 position toggle, with momentary, latching and neutral positions.

Transducer.  Another name for a speaker.

TX. This acronym means radio transmit.

Wind Porting.  A mechanical design that attempts to minimize noise caused by wind in front of microphones.

Windsock.  This is foam that covers a microphone in order to help prevent the transmission of wind noise.

Wolf Ears.  See Bionic Ears.