Data-Driven Uncertainty Modeling for Robust Feedback Active Noise Control in Headphones

Abstract: Active noise control (ANC) has become popular for reducing noise and thus enhancing user comfort in headphones. While feedback control offers an effective way to implement ANC, it is restricted by uncertainty of the controlled system that arises, e.g., from differing wearing situations. Widely used unstructured models which capture these variations tend to overestimate the uncertainty and thus restrict ANC performance. As a remedy, this work explores uncertainty models that provide a more accurate fit to the observed variations in order to improve ANC performance for over-ear and in-ear headphones. We describe the controller optimization based on these models and implement an ANC prototype to compare the performances associated with conventional and proposed modeling approaches. Extensive measurements with human wearers confirm the robustness and indicate a performance improvement over conventional methods. The results allow to safely increase the active attenuation of ANC headphones by several decibels.