Problem Statement

Design headphones that can be used in environments where background noise can bother people such as in aircraft or the office. The headphones should:

• be compatible with common audio players (iPods, MP3 players, cell phones, computers, etc.);
• have minimal impact on audio player in terms of its lifetime and battery run-time;
• be portable (compact, lightweight, self-contained, etc.);
• attenuate or cancel ambient noise to levels that cannot be heard;
• provide sound of good quality over appropriate volume range for all formats to which someone may listen;
• provide long operating time between charges or battery replacement;
• result from a new design;
• be safe in general, and meet all safety regulations.