A communication device configured for use in a user's ear canal comprising:
- a sealing mechanism configured to acoustically seal a section of the ear canal upstream of the communication device, said sealed section being located between the sealing mechanism and the user's ear drum;
- a sound conduit in acoustic communication with a sound source and configured to provide for transmission of sound waves from the sound source through the sound conduit and into the sealed section of the ear canal, wherein the sound conduit includes:
- a first opening configured to provide for entry of sound waves from the sound source into the sound conduit;
- a second opening configured to provide for output of sound waves from the sound conduit into the ear canal;
- a conduit housing at least partially provided between the first opening and the second opening;
- and
- a vent opening in the conduit housing, the vent opening configured to provide for venting of sound waves through the vent opening, an acoustic valve having a valve member moveably coupled with the conduit housing, which moveable coupling is configured to provide a relative motion of the valve member and the conduit housing, the relative motion including a translational motion of the valve member with respect to the conduit housing or a rotational motion of the valve member with respect to the conduit housing, such that by said relative motion the acoustic valve is configured to provide for opening or closing the vent opening;
- the communication device further comprising an electrical actuator configured to activate said relative motion,
- wherein the actuator is configured to provide a magnetic field, by which magnetic field a driving force for said relative motion is provided,
- wherein the actuator includes a first driving part fixedly coupled to the conduit housing and a second driving part fixedly coupled to the valve member, wherein the first driving part and the second driving part are configured to interact via said magnetic field,
- wherein said first driving part or said second driving part includes two magnetic members spaced from one another at a spacing distance and configured to provide for magnetic interaction with the other of said first driving part and second driving part within the spacing distance, wherein the magnetic member of the other of said first driving part and second driving part is provided within the spacing distance,
- wherein each of the two of the magnetic members includes a magnetizable material,
- wherein at least one of the two of the magnetic members includes a conductor configured to be supplied with a current, such that the conductor is configured to generate at least part of said magnetic field, the at least part of the magnetic field generated by the conductor being deactivatable, the magnetizable material of the at least one of the two of the magnetic members being configured to store at least part of the magnetic field generated by the coil after deactivation of the magnetic field generated by the coil,
- wherein the other of the first driving part and the second driving part comprises a magnet,
- wherein the conduit housing includes an outer side wall and an inner side wall, the outer side wall having a larger distance from a central axis of the sound conduit than the inner side wall, wherein the magnetic member of the first driving part or the second driving part is provided in an actuator chamber between the outer side wall and the inner side wall, the valve member being at least partially disposed in the actuator chamber responsive to the vent being in the opening position or in the closing position, and
- wherein the communication device is dimensioned to be provided in the user's ear canal.