Auditory Attention from In-Ear Muscle Contractions Using Commodity Earbuds [paper]

This project explores the feasibility of detecting auditory attention shifts through subtle in-ear muscle contractions, using commodity earbuds. By leveraging ultrasound signals emitted and received by the built-in speaker–microphone pair, the system detects minute canal deformations correlated with attention changes. This enables continuous, unobtrusive monitoring of user attention without interrupting normal listening. A phase-based signal processing pipeline extracts micro-displacement features, while a heartbeat-aware classification stage distinguishes attentional states. Results from controlled user studies confirm that the system can reliably detect attention lapses, demonstrating the potential of cognitive-aware earables.

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Earbuds and Echoes: A New Way to Track Auditory Attention

System Overview Experimental setup showing ultrasound emission, auditory tasks, and attention classification workflow.	Earbud Diagram Prototype of a commercial earbud with speaker–microphone pair for in-ear ultrasonic sensing.
System Flow Phase-based displacement extraction and attention classification pipeline based on ultrasonic reflections.	In-Ear Reflections Ultrasonic reflections showing amplitude and phase variations linked to heartbeat and muscle contractions.