Vadum will develop the canine Hearing Protection and Active Communication (HPAC) system. The HPAC system will provide clear and reliable audio communication between the handler and the canine, and provide at least 30 dB of noise reduction for loud external sounds. The HPAC system will facilitate high-quality canine situational awareness of ambient environmental sounds, at a settable, limited sound level to protect the canines hearing. The HPAC system will prolong a canines active service life while enhancing the abilities of the working dog and handler team. Vadum has assembled a robust interdisciplinary team of scientists, hardware engineers, signal processing engineers, canine handlers, and veterinarians to solve this complex problem. Vadum engineers and scientists have expertise in acoustic physics, auditory physiology, mechanical and electrical engineering, and materials science. The Vadum team includes K2 Solutions and the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU CVM). K2 will provide subject matter expertise during the design phase, as well as providing dogs for testing of the HPAC system prototypes. (NCSU CVM) is one of the top ranked veterinary schools in the world, and is a driving force in veterinary research and training. NCSU CVM will testing to verify the performance of the devices.
