Bose Corporation - Bose Military Headsets: At Work Around the World

In 1978 Dr. Amar Bose had an inspiration during a noisy international airline flight. At that time, electronic headphones to enhance passenger entertainment were replacing older pneumatic tube phones. Unfortunately the fidelity improvements were masked by cabin noise and distortion¯the latter resulting from passengers increasing the volume setting to overcome background noise. Dr. Bose believed it was possible to achieve noise reduction in headphones by means of a closed loop feedback control.

Dr. Bose quickly initiated a research program to study the array of complex acoustic, electronic and mechanical challenges to practical active noise cancellation headsets. This research eventually led to the development of Bose® consumer headphones and military headsets. The Bose Product Improved Combat Vehicle Crewman (PICVC) headset and the TriPort® Tactical Headset (TTH) are currently used by the US Army and other military forces around the world.

NOISE REDUCTION + CLEARER AUDIO + COMFORTABLE FIT = INCREASED MISSION EFFECTIVENESS

The US Department of Defense considers 85dBA SPL as the maximum safe level for continuous noise over an eight-hour period, assuming a 16-hour quiet recovery period. And removal of a headset for even 15 minutes in a 95dBA SPL environment can cut the allowable exposure time in half. Even relatively brief noise exposure can induce short-term hearing loss, while long-duration operations can induce fatigue and permanent hearing loss.

To help reduce noise, conventional headsets rely on large earcups with heavy weight and tight clamping force. The result is often a headset soldiers don't want to wear for extended periods. But proprietary Bose technologies overcome the noise reduction vs. comfort compromise.

Bose military headsets offer active and passive technologies which together provide full-spectrum noise reduction with comfortable, lightweight designs that can be worn continuously during long missions. Bose active noise reduction enables lighter headset design and lower clamping force than typical conventional headsets.

High noise levels in military vehicles also affect situational awareness. Misunderstood commands and repeated instructions can increase operational risk and reduce mission effectiveness. Bose proprietary Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headset technology effectively reduces the low-frequency noise prevalent in modern military vehicles, while faithfully reproducing audio signals provided by the vehicle intercom system. In fact, US Army tests have demonstrated that use of Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling headsets resulted in a 21% increase in voice intelligibility when compared with a conventional headset.

PRODUCT IMPROVED COMBAT VEHICLE CREWMAN (PICVC) HEADSET

The PICVC headset is our second generation Acoustic Noise Cancelling communications headset solution for military operations. It's designed to address the needs of tracked armored vehicles like the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, where noise levels can greatly exceed 103dBA SPL. The headset is integrated with the standard US military helmet liner and the DH-132A/B CVC hardshell.

TRIPORT TACTICAL HEADSET (TTH)

In 2004 Bose introduced the TriPort Tactical Headset (TTH) for use in wheeled vehicles. Tactical wheeled vehicles such as the HMMWV, while not as loud as tracked vehicles, may have noise levels of 95dBA SPL or higher¯levels that can damage hearing and degrade communications.

Like the Bose PICVC, the TTH features our Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphone technology to dramatically reduce these noise levels. It fits under infantry ballistic helmets such as the ACH, and it's lighter, smaller and has less clamping force than many other tactical headsets. The TTH also features our proprietary TriPort acoustic headphone structure to help maintain clearer audio communications in real-world military conditions.

Please contact Bose to discuss your application and determine if our products are appropriate for your needs.