DSEi 2017: Elno promoting its Hoplite advanced headset.

At DSEi 2017, being held in London from 12-15 Sept., the French company ELNO, a recognized supplier of audio head-mounted equipment for many armed forces around the world, is presenting its Hoplite advanced headset.

Elno's Hoplite advanced headset at DSEi 2017

Taking advantage of its experience of solid-borne conduction applied to headsets (having delivered more than 20 000 in 5 years to FELIN equipped soldiers) ELNO has chosen to invest in the development of a helmet for acoustic protection making use of shells and cartilaginous conduction for sound transmission.

Hoplite headset is equipped with external 3D listening, thus allowing the reproduction of surround sounds in a way that is identical to natural listening: one can identify the direction from which sounds are coming, in front or behind, left or right.

With the arrival of HOPLITE, ELNO will be able to address the most demanding users: unmatched comfort with ergonomic gel ear pads ensuring protection against high-level noise, different types of fasteners to fit all combat helmets (neckband, Picatinny rail or headband), microphone left or right, external listening etc ...

The great novelties, unique to date, are the digital computing power embedded in the helmet, and the replacement of the loudspeakers by cartilaginous conduction.

Rather than transmitting the sound inside the shell as is usually the case, cartilaginous conduction will use a small "motor" that vibrates a cartilage close to the ear. This vibration transmitted to the inner ear allows very high quality audio signal reproduction. The main advantage of this technology is the ability to use linear ear plugs while maintaining perfect audio reception.

Hearing protection is therefore maximum (double protection) in very noisy environments or when using heavy weapons and especially shoulder-fired missiles, where firing noise can not be reduced by non-linear ear plugs.

This efficiency is higher than that of all ANRs (Active Noise Reduction) in service, especially throughout the audible frequency band.

Thanks to the computing power embedded directly in the helmet, HOPLITE can process the sounds picked up by 4 external microphones (2 on each side) to perfectly reproduce the sound environment, in 3D, exactly the same as when the ears are uncovered, but of course with a noise limitation (84dB).

Options such as DNR (Digital Noise Reduction), which filter the noise picked up by the headset microphone, ANR and other unreleased features, will be available in the coming months.