Acoustics & Audio Technology News

Sufficient existing knowledge of "alien" sounds validates using more microphones in space exploration, according to Professor Tim Leighton, University of Southampton. This would help to better understand extraterrestrial environments and yield information on the precipitation, seismic activity, winds, and more on other planets. As he demonstrated, Venus' atmosphere shifts the pitch of music up, while on Mars and Titan, pitch goes down.

Touted as an industry first, a unique voice processor utilizes a design based on human hearing, allowing the chip to process complex sound mixtures. Delivering 25 dB noise suppression instantaneously for stationary and non-stationary noise, the chip receives overlapping frequency sounds, organizes the individual sources, and then suppresses the noise from multiple sources like PA systems, vehicle noise, etc. — all in the same way that people hear.

Reducing noise by 50 dB at 2,000 Hz, an acoustic enclosure is suitable for nanotechnology research. The NanoVault utilizes multiple sound-damping materials and eliminates structural resonance to provide a low noise floor for precision instruments. Delivering noise reduction over a broad frequency range, the enclosure is also recommended for quality and product testing in noisy manufacturing operations.

Choosing the right acoustic transducer for a design equates into collaboration between electronics and mechanical engineers because sound characteristics and physical size are interrelated. This article delves into the considerations involved in deciding whether to use a piezoelectric, electroacoustic, or electronic buzzer design for an audible alert and compares sound outputs, dimensions, and other pertinent parameters.

When it comes to multi-processor signal processing today, the choices are broader than ever. So, how do you choose the optimal solution from DSP, FPGA , and hybrid alternatives? Beyond number crunching, it makes sense to consider interconnect technology, i.e., what interfaces are needed. This article examines the factors involved with the two chip types, focusing on system-level considerations.

If U.S. Navy Admiral David Farragut had modern acoustic countermeasures, he may have never uttered the famous quote. Today fourth-generation torpedo decoys utilize active acoustic deception to protect submarines and ships. After an incoming acoustic-homing torpedo is detected, the decoy lures it away from a sub by transmitting acoustic signals. In operation, the decoy receives/analyzes torpedo signals, identifying its characteristic signature. It then sends out a suitable deception signal, and blows up the torpedo.

Innovations in cell phone features continue to accelerate as new technologies are assimilated. But this latest concept pushes the envelope, combining nanotechnology to create shapes that morph from handset to tablet to wristwatch. Theoretically, morphing nanobits also empower the device to clean itself, sense its environment, and absorb solar energy. You can also view a presentation of this amazing glimpse into the mobile future.

Researchers are working on an interactive software platform that links digital media to the real (i.e., physical) world via GPS, mobile devices, and sensors. Utilizing a GPS-capable mobile phone or PDA, users may one day be able to play new generation video games "on the go" either inside (BlueTooth) or out (GPS). Developers have produced a scavenger hunt and a Yosemite tour, both linked to location data. Applications beyond education and games are predicted.

Listening for Black Holes

Scientists will be using a new supercomputer at Syracuse University to listen for black holes, after they determine what a black hole sounds like. To do so, the supercomputer is needed to analyze gigantic amounts of data collected over two years. Creating models of gravitational waves produced by collisions of black holes, and then analyzing the data, will allow the researchers to find the "special sound" of a black hole.

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Do We Really Need Additional Functions for Cell Phones?

Today mobile phones incorporate so many functions in addition to basic voice communication that many users don't even use them. What new functions do you think would be practical and why?