TAMPA -- 3M Defense showed off a headphone set at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference that lowered the decibel level of surrounding noise from 160 decibels to roughly 85 decibels.
The Minnesota headquartered company was showing the “Peltor” headset at the National Defense Industrial Association’s 2013 SOFIC here. The communications gear consists of a specially engineered headset designed to provide passive hearing protection as well as impulse protection from loud noises such as gunfire, said Frank Gavin, business development manager, 3M Defense.
The headphones are built with a noise-reducing micro-chip, however they can also function as a sound-amplifying acoustic sensor, Gavin said.
The headphones, which cost roughly $ 1,000, can lower the decibel level of surrounding noise, such as gunfire, from 160 decibels to roughly 85 decibels, said Bill Ryan, marketing manager, 3M Defense.
"These can be used for missions where hearing protection might be needed," said Bill Ryan, marketing manager, 3M Defense. He explained that the headphones can provide both active and passive hearing protection.
The headphones also include a push-to-talk function wherein people can talk back and forth on a specific channel, Ryan said.
