Infant incubator

1 . An active noise control system comprising:

an enclosure, wherein the enclosure is an infant incubator;

one or more reference input sensors disposed outside of the enclosure;

an error sensor array comprising one or more error sensors disposed within the enclosure;

a positioning detection system;

one or more speakers disposed within the enclosure; and

a processing unit in data communication with the one or more reference input sensors, the error sensor array, the positioning detection system, and the one or more speakers,

wherein the one or more reference input sensors generate one or more reference input signals prompted by one or more noise sound waves generated by one or more noise sources;

wherein the positioning detection system generates target position data representative of a position of a head and ears of an infant, and wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the target position data and determine a position of a target quiet zone based on the position of the head and ears of the infant;

wherein the processing unit selectively chooses, based on the position of the head and ears of the infant, which one or more error sensors from a subset of the error sensors of the error sensor array to select to determine a target zone sensor array;

wherein the target zone sensor array consists of at least one microphone selected from the error sensor array;

wherein the processing unit is configured to execute an adaptive noise control algorithm prompted by the reference control signal received from the one or more reference input sensors and an error signal received from the target zone sensor array, and wherein the adaptive noise control algorithm generates an output control signal for the one or more speakers to generate a control sound wave configured to destructively interfere with the noise sound waves at the position of the head and ears of the infant upon the noise sound waves entering the enclosure.

2 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the error sensor array further comprises a flexible surface.

3 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the error sensor array is embedded in a patient support.

4 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the error sensor array is embedded in a bolster support.

5 . The active noise control system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more speakers is integral with the bolster support.

6 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more error sensors is adapted to detect sound pressure level.

7 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more error sensors is configured to detect both sound pressure level and sound particle velocity.

8 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the target zone sensor array consists of a single microphone selected from the error sensor array.

9 . The active noise control system of claim 1 , wherein the target zone sensor array consists of a pair of microphones selected from the error sensor array.

10 . A method for providing noise cancellation, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an enclosure, wherein the enclosure is an infant incubator;

providing one or more reference input sensors disposed outside of the enclosure;

providing an error sensor array comprising one or more error sensors disposed within the enclosure;

providing a positioning detection system;

providing one or more speakers disposed within the enclosure; and

providing a processing unit in data communication with the one or more reference input sensors, the error sensor array, the positioning detection system, and the one or more speakers,

generating one or more reference input signals via the one or more reference input sensors prompted by one or more noise sound waves generated by one or more noise sources;

generating target position data representative of a position of a head and ears of an infant at the positioning detection system;

receiving the target position data at the processing unit and determining by the processing unit a position of a target quiet zone based on the position of the head and ears of the infant;

selectively choosing via the processing unit, based on the position of the head and ears of the infant, which one or more error sensors from a subset of the error sensors of the error sensor array to select to determine a target zone sensor array;

wherein the target zone sensor array consists of at least one microphone selected from the error sensor array;

executing an adaptive noise control algorithm at the processing unit prompted by the reference control signal received from the one or more reference input sensors and an error signal received from the target zone sensor array, and wherein the adaptive noise control algorithm generates an output control signal for the one or more speakers to generate a control sound wave configured to destructively interfere with the noise sound waves at the position of the head and ears of the infant upon the noise sound waves entering the enclosure.