Apr 22nd, 2016 - Category: Sound
There are so many uncommon applications for acoustics that here are five more that are even more unusual than the first five.
- The Human Ear Generates Sound - Even more amazingly, research has shown that there are more nerves going from the brain to the ear than from the ear to the brain. It’s called Otoacoustic Emission and can be evoked through stimulus as well as be generated spontaneously. The Acoustical Society of America even has a paper on their website that explains how the ear can be used as a musical instrument and provides audio examples of the process.
- Automotive “Active Sound Enhancement” - Some cars have an identity crisis. They are too loud AND too quiet. The solution is to add both a noise cancellation system and a system to ADD engine noise via the car audio system. For example, the 2017 Nissan Maxima website states: ”Active Noise Cancellation uses microphones in the front and rear of the car to monitor unwanted noise and help cancel it out. Maxima’s Active Sound Enhancement brings a more purposeful engine note into the cabin - music to any enthusiasts ears.”
- Gunfire Locator - This is not surprising in itself, but according to The Verge, GE has created a smart streetlight that includes the computing hardware to localize gunfire. If a $2.50 microphone (also surprising) is added, ShotSpotter’s software does the necessary signal processing and reporting.
- Acoustic Rail Bearing Proactive Failure Detection -
When a railcar bearing fails, it can derail a train so the payoff from detecting this problem early is huge. The ”old timers” who work in rail yards can hear the death scream (aka acoustic signature) of impending rail bearing failure. It took almost a decade to develop the technology, but the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, CO built TADS, the Trackside Acoustic Detection System, to automate the process. In the photo below, that’s me in front of the six microphone array which was a lot more expensive than $2.50 / each. - Robo-Clarinetist - A robotics team from the University of New South Wales built a robot to play an unmodified clarinet. It plays considerably worse than a human player, but the YouTube video is fascinating. This one was courtesy of the website “Listen To This Noise” written by Andrew Pyzdek (Pi), a PhD candidate in Acoustics at the Pennsylvania State University. If you found this post interesting, you might want to check his website out.
To end the week, here’s an acoustic blast from the past. I still get a thrill when I hear the music from the original Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It turns out that there is a group of gamers who still try to achieve the shortest time through the entire game, called a Speedrun. The record holder just beat his own record with a time of 4:57.260 and he was thrilled. It’s worth watching the whole video to see someone get so excited about an achievement. Interestingly enough, the Speedrun time tracker has a heart rate monitor and his heart rate reaches 171. All I can say is Holy Cow!
Have a great weekend.