DISCUSSING TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANTAGES

FIELD CONVERTIBLE TO NON-HEARING PROTECTION HEADSET

Since hearing protection is not always required, the x-62000 can be field converted to a non-hearing protection radio communication headset which allows the ears to be naturally open. This is achieved by removing the hearing protection earplugs and affixing the open ear inserts and putting the x-62000 into mode 2 which allows radio receive to be heard as well as environmental/ambient noise to be heard naturally. The x-62000 is then easily converted back to a hearing protection headset with talk-through by affixing the 32db-39db NRS earplugs.

QUAD-MIC ACTIVE LISTENING (TALK-THRU/HEAR-THRU)

The x-62000 has four (4) talk-through microphones, two (2) on each side of the head. This allows for true 360° situational awareness. More importantly a four (4) mic system coupled with Threat4’s specialized algorithms, developed by audiologists over a two (2) year in field testing period, provides a quantum leap in the ability to discern where a sound comes from (Sound Localization). The x-62000 sound localization and situational awareness system provides a near-human ear hearing experience.
The x-62000 active listening system, which is completely independent of the radio
system, provides the following:

1. No vibration noise in radio transmit (TX). Most in-ear headsets have the mics
   inside the ear close to the inner-ear fatty tissue. These tissues transmit human voice
   well, however the bi-product is that they also transmit body vibration noise caused by
   things like running, tracked vehicles and rotary vehicles. The result is that typical in-ear
   mic headsets’ radio transmissions are often noise-ridden and incomprehensible
   when the body is exposed to vibrations.
2. No mic proximity noise in radio transmit (TX). Since typical in-ear headsets have
   the mics located in the ear, other users voices that are in close proximity to the
   wearers ears, in a breaching formation for example, can transmit unwillingly over
   these mics in radio transmit (TX) causing unintended audio to transmit.
3. No loss of situational awareness. Most other in-ear headsets will, when the PTT
   is activated, shut off one of the ear’s active listening mics so that it can pick up the
   users voice for radio transmit (TX). This effectively makes you deaf in one ear during
   radio transmit (TX).
4. No radio transmit (TX) failure. In Dynamic boom setups, radio transmit (TX) will
   always work even if a loss of power or catastrophic headset failure occurs. You will
   not lose your ability to communicate so long as the radio works.
5. No audio compression. Since most in-ear mic headsets have the radio transmit
   (TX) mics in the ear and far from the mouth, they typically use audio compression to
   make sure the mics can pick up the user’s voice. This is an audio treatment that
   attempts to shrink (compress) the difference between volumes of sounds. What
   happens in practice is that if you are talking with someone face to face and a truck
   passes by, both the voice and the truck will come through to you at the same level,
   making communication very difficult. Since Threat4 only uses the four (4) active
   listening mics for ambient noise and a boom mic (close to the lips) for radio transmit
   (TX) the x-62000 can treat audio as human ears do, and instead of compression,
   making noises sound like the unprotected ear hears them.
6. No whisper mode. Since in-ear headsets have the mics far from the mouth they
   are susceptible to transmitting unwanted background noise, so they have to lower
   sensitivity of the mics and/or filter the noise. This means that when you are
   whispering, these systems in normal mode can not hear your voice, so typical in-ear
   headsets add a whisper mode. Obviously in this mode background noises, if they
   occur, are ultra loud. By using a boom mic for radio transmit (TX), the x-62000 does
   not need a whisper mode.

BOOM MICROPHONE

Threat4’ x-62000 uses a noise canceling boom microphone, available in either Dynamic or Electret format. When worn close to the lips the boom microphone will cancel background noises on transmit and will pick up whispers without the need for a “whisper mode” typically found in other in-ear solutions. Boom microphones afford the clearest communications in all environments, and in military Dynamic mic
applications, radio transmit will always work even if the headset electronics fail or lose power. The boom mic also has a gas mask option and a field replaceable option.

3 FACTORY PROGRAMMED MODES

To allow out-of-box use, Threat4 has three (3) factory programmed modes and bionic hearing.

Mode 1 Human hearing naturally restored with the ability to increase bionic hearing in increments 0dB, +2dB, +6dB, +9dB and +12dB. Designed to work as unprotected ears do and sound natural, with noises that are close sounding close and noises that are far sounding further. Typical in-ear systems make all the noises virtually the same volume. This is called audio compression, where typical in-ear headsets attempt to
lessen the decibel difference between loud and quiet noises, effectively making all the noises you hear sound the same. This makes face to face interactions difficult when there is background noise – similar to speaking to someone who is on a cellular phone in a loud environment.

Mode 2 Situational awareness muted, effectively providing radio and passive earplugs only. Designed for environments that radio and hearing protection is required but face to face interaction is not, such as HALO jumps or rotary vehicle deployment.

Mode 3 Adaptive Noise Reduction with the ability to increase bionic hearing in increments 0dB, +2dB, +6dB, +9dB and +12dB. This mode removes up to -12dB of constant background noise across the entire spectrum. Unlike typical ANR which only works between 20Hz and 500 Hz, Adaptive Noise Reduction works between 20- 16,000Hz while maintaining the ability to hear human voices. Designed for use in loud environments where face to face interaction is required such as in Armor Personnel Carriers (APC)or engine rooms.

These modes can be factory altered with in-house engineer on the fly and other modes are available, up to 4 modes allowed in total.