Amazon awarded a patent for smart headphones that cut the music when someone calls your name

Sticking on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones can make even the most miserable morning commute on public transport more bearable. But this musical solace comes at a price – not being able to hear safety announcements, or even someone calling your name. Amazon could be set to change that, with its plans for a set of noise-cancelling cans which cut the filter when triggered by safety words or phrases, such as someone yelling out for you. Plans in a patent awarded to Amazon detail smart headphones which could suspend noise-cancellation when they hear a key word or phrase. One example of this keyword spotting outlined is someone listening to the headphones when a person says'Hey Ben', at which point the noise-cancellation feature would be suspended for them to hear.