Animal-Wearable Audible Communication Apparatus

An apparatus for enabling audible communication between an animal and a remote handler of the animal, the apparatus comprising:

• a flexible strap configured to be worn on the head of an animal;
• a wireless receiver to receive a wireless signal representing a message from the remote handler via a wireless communication link and, in response thereto, to provide a transformed signal representing the message from the remote handler;
• and
• a plurality of transducer assemblies slidably coupled to the flexible strap, each of the plurality of transducer assemblies including
• a bone conduction transducer to receive the transformed signal representing the message from the remote handler and to generate physical vibrations based on and representative of the signal representing the message from the remote handler;
• a conduction plate in mechanical contact with the bone conduction transducer and positioned so that, when the flexible strap is worn by the animal, the conduction plate is in mechanical contact with the animal and positioned between the animal and the corresponding bone conduction transducer to convey the physical vibrations from the bone conduction transducer to the animal;
• and
• a housing slidably coupled to the flexible strap and containing the bone conduction transducer.