AI-powered headphones filter only unwanted noise

Noise-canceling headphones are a godsend for living and working in loud environments. They automatically identify background sounds and cancel them out for much-needed peace and quiet. However, typical noise-canceling fails to distinguish between unwanted background sounds and crucial information, leaving headphone users unaware of their surroundings.

Shyam Gollakota, from the University of Washington, is an expert in using AI tools for real-time audio processing. His team created a system...