Listening to the Mind: Earable Acoustic Sensing of Cognitive Load

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that earable acoustic sensors can non-invasively monitor cognitive load in real time by analyzing auditory sensitivity changes, enabling personalized and scalable mental effort assessment in daily life.

Contribution

It is the first study to infer cognitive load through earable acoustic signals, linking auditory sensitivity variations to mental effort using off-the-shelf in-ear devices.

Findings

Significant association between cognitive load and auditory sensitivity changes.

63.2% of participants showed peak sensitivity at 3 kHz under increased load.

Sensitivity patterns varied across demographic groups.

Abstract

Earable acoustic sensing offers a powerful and non-invasive modality for capturing fine-grained auditory and physiological signals directly from the ear canal, enabling continuous and context-aware monitoring of cognitive states. As earable devices become increasingly embedded in daily life, they provide a unique opportunity to sense mental effort and perceptual load in real time through auditory interactions. In this study, we present the first investigation of cognitive load inference through auditory perception using acoustic signals captured by off-the-shelf in-ear devices. We designed speech-based listening tasks to induce varying levels of cognitive load, while concurrently embedding acoustic stimuli to evoke Stimulus Frequency Otoacoustic Emission (SFOAEs) as a proxy for cochlear responsiveness. Statistical analysis revealed a significant association (p < 0.01) between increased cognitive load and changes in auditory sensitivity, with 63.2% of participants showing peak sensitivity at 3 kHz. Notably, sensitivity patterns also varied across demographic subgroups, suggesting opportunities for personalized sensing. Our findings demonstrate that earable acoustic sensing can support scalable, real-time cognitive load monitoring in natural settings, laying a foundation for future applications in augmented cognition, where everyday auditory technologies adapt to and support the users mental health.