Authentication using active acoustic sensing

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, responsive to execution by a processor, cause a system to:

• transmit, during a first time period, an ultrasound transmit signal that propagates within at least a portion of an ear canal of a person;
• receive, during the first time period, an ultrasound receive signal, the ultrasound receive signal representing a version of the ultrasound transmit signal with one or more characteristics modified based on the propagation within the ear canal and based on the person speaking during at least a portion of the first time period;
• generate an ultrasound-based voice signature based on the ultrasound receive signal, the ultrasound-based voice signature comprising a voice component and a physiological component;
• and
• authenticate the person based on the ultrasound-based voice signature.

A device comprising:

• at least one transducer configured to:
• transmit, during a first time period, an ultrasound transmit signal that propagates within at least a portion of an ear canal of a person;
• and
• receive, during the first time period, an ultrasound receive signal, the ultrasound receive signal representing a version of the ultrasound transmit signal with one or more characteristics modified based on the propagation within the ear canal and based on the person speaking during at least a portion of the first time period;
• and
• at least one processor that is coupled to the at least one transducer, the at least one processor configured to:
• generate an ultrasound-based voice signature based on the ultrasound receive signal, the ultrasound-based voice signature comprising a voice component and a physiological component;
• and
• authenticate the person based on the ultrasound-based voice signature.