Moth Wingtips Structured To Reflect Sound: An “Acoustic Decoy” To Thwart Bat Attack
Wingtips of certain species of silkmoth are structured to reflect sound and throw off attackers, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of…
Acoustics
What Makes a Voice Attractive? Researchers Find Surprising Differences Between Genders
Voices of reason? Study links acoustic correlations, gender to vocal appeal. What makes a voice attractive? The question is the subject of broad interest, with…
Rattlesnake Rattles Use Acoustic Trick To Fool Human Ears
Rattlesnakes increase their rattling rate as potential threats approach, and this abrupt switch to a high-frequency mode makes listeners, including humans, think they’re closer than…
Olympic Sound Design: 3,600 Microphones and Counting
Professor Joshua Reiss from Queen Mary’s School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science has written for The Conversation on the audio history of the Olympics…
Our Brains Encode Musical Predictions Even When Music Doesn’t Play
Imagined Music and Silence Trigger Similar Brain Activity Imagining a song triggers similar brain activity as moments of silence in music, according to a pair of studies recently…
Acoustic Tweezers Can Pick Objects Up With Sound Waves – Without Any Physical Contact
Hemispherical array of ultrasound transducers lifts objects off reflective surfaces. Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new technology which allows non-contact manipulation of…
Meringue-Like Graphene-Based Aerogel Material Could Make Aircraft As Quiet as a Hairdryer
Extremely low-density graphene-based aerogel ‘meringue’ can improve passenger comfort and reduce noise up to 80%. An incredibly light new material that can reduce aircraft engine…
COVID-19 Creates Hearing and Balance Disorders – Aggravates Tinnitus Symptoms
Pandemic-related stress and anxiety may increase auditory and vestibular effects associated with COVID-19. The physiological impacts of COVID-19 seem almost limitless. Complications can range from…
Understanding the Concept of Quietness: Measuring Quiet Sound Diversity
The world is filled with myriad sounds that can overwhelm a person with relentless acoustics. Noise is so prevalent in everyday life that the concept…
Personalized Soundscape To Help People With Dementia With Time and Place Recognition
Acoustical environments can prevent, reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms. Designing a soundscape to improve the quality of life for an individual is centered on putting…
New Technology “Listens” for Right Whales – One of the World’s Most Endangered Whale Species
One of the world’s most endangered whale species could have added protection from threats posed by human marine activity, through technology developed by the University…
Lung Ultrasounds Could Help Physicians Predict if a Patient With COVID-19 Will Worsen
For some, COVID-19 can result in severe pneumonia or even death, while others remain purely asymptomatic. A diagnostic tool could help physicians predict if a…
Transforming the Structure of Atoms Into Sounds, Giving Each Element Its Own Unique Musical Scale
Hearing Tones, Elements Through Atomic Music Data about the structure of atoms can be transformed into sounds, giving each element its own unique musical scale….
Which COVID Face Masks Are Best for Speech Intelligibility and Student Comprehension?
As instructors continue to wear masks for the safety of themselves and their students, the question of which types of masks allow for the best…
Eye Position Affects Your Auditory Spatial Attention – Where to Look to Improve “Cocktail Party” Listening
Eye position has a modest but measurable impact on speech intelligibility within a cocktail party setting. Several acoustic studies have shown that the position of…
Sound Projectors Deliver Audio to People Where They Want It for Virtual Reality
Sound projectors provide an alternative to headphones for use in virtual reality and augmented reality simulations and for other contexts where it is helpful to…
Smarter Traffic Signs With Doppler Radar, Traffic and Weather Sensors for Real-Time Driver Alerts
Smart traffic signs combining Doppler radar and video with acoustic and weather sensors can track traffic volume and alert drivers in real-time to hazards ahead….
Sound Quality Comparison: 3D-Printed vs. Traditional Musical Instruments
Investigators in China created a functioning 3D-printed ukulele and used acoustics to compare its sound quality to a standard wooden instrument. Music is an art,…