Intercom

My suggested use of a BT earpiece *exposes* this as a problem that has to be solved. The OP's *current* environment does

"... each one wearing a sound-deadening headset..."

I.e., my use of COTS parts precludes *using* those headsets for their "sound-deadening" capabilities.

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What about the microphone? Unless they are wearing enclosed helmet with air host, the microphone will pick up all the ambient noises. The OP said he does not want to get into the DSP business because other companies are already doing it and it is very competitive. Well, life is competitive and perhaps everybody is doing it because it is absolutely necessary.

Microphone could be very directional, "throat mike" or otherwise implicitly *designed* for that sort of environment. It's a special headset (i.e., not just a pair of headPHONES) so I assume some consideration would have been given, by the manufacturer, to that issue.

The solution I proposed is *not* designed for this environment ("COTS") so you know the microphone is NOT designed with that in mind. E.g., many of these devices have the microphone positioned up by the pinnae -- so unlikely to be very "selective" in what it picks up.

(I don't use a cell phone so have no first hand experience with that sort of thing. Though when I've received calls from folks using these earpieces, it's AS IF they were using a "speakerphone" and I could hear lots of ambient noise along with their words)

Exactly. I was suggesting the sort of solution you could create using COTS devices (I doubt the OP wants to make custom plastic pieces, miniaturized circuitry, etc.) for the "exposed" parts of the design and a simple "brick" (using a COTS plastic utility box) to house the "brains" that ties it all together. I.e., smaller investment.

If it was easy, you could buy them for $6 on alibaba! :>

If the OP wants to play in that market, then he has to carry the cost of admission...

The OP has been in that market for fifty some years. He understands the market very well. He plays in the niche corners of the market where there are very few players and hence can offer some unique products that meet a price point.

THanks,

Jim

I think the approach I outlined would allow you to easily hit a profitable price-point. The issue is whether or not you want to invest the effort to get there (vs. repackaging some COTS solution -- that someone *else* can just as easily repackage!)

Let me know if you come up with something easily implemented. I've wanted to build a little package for my wife and I where we can wear earbuds and dance to the same music from an mp3 player. All I'd need is a little bluetooth or zigbee transmitter on the mp3 player and a receiver and earbuds for the other person.

Cheap and easy are the keys.

Hi Jim - Always enjoy your articles !

I haven't worked with these components, but have you seen:

Digikey stocks a wide range of modules but you need to add audio digitization/serialization, antenna, etc.

Let us know what you find out, Hope this helps, Best Regards, Dave

PS: You may have seen me fly "YO electric" at Oshkosh ?

Yes, no problem. We can add a 16 bits audio microcontroller and PCB inverted-F antenna (2.5" x 1") to accept the module. We can also accept the chips directly, so you don't have to pay for the modules.