You might not think of it, but noise pollution is a threat we all have to prepare for. The World Health Organization describes noise pollution as an "underestimated threat that can cause a number of short and long-term health problems, such as, for example, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular effects, poorer work and school performance, [and] hearing impairment."
Though innovations like earplugs or
noise-canceling headphones provide some relief from the extra noise, it's time
we all think of beating noise pollution with smart tech. Many firms are already
doing that and deserve the spotlight.
Silentium's Quite Bubble System
Israeli business Silentium is trying to
beat noise pollution with its "Quiet Bubble" system, which can
significantly reduce unwanted sound, even if it's very close to you, like your
husbands' unwanted snores that keep you up half the night.
The technology is based around a speaker
and microphone and works uniquely. To simplify the technical information, the
microphone will listen to the unwanted sound, and the speaker will emit a noise
that cancels it out.
Brigade Electronics' Reversing Alarms
Sometimes, you want other people to hear a
noise, such as the warning sound a truck makes when it is reversing. But often,
that sound is not only heard by people near the truck but also by people in the
distance who don't want or need to hear the sound.
A solution to this problem is devised by
Brigade Electronics, a Kent-based firm that makes reversing alarms that are
only audible to people in close proximity of the vehicle. They emit sounds that
dissipate after 10 meters or so. Cool, right?
Xi'an Jiaotong University in China is
Considering Owl Inspired Tech
A team from Xi'an Jiaotong University in
China has examined the unique features of owl wings to inform a new airfoil
design to reduce this trailing-edge noise. It was mentioned in a new study
published in Physics of Fluids.
The author Xiao Min Liu stated, "Nocturnal
owls produce about 18 decibels less noise than other birds at similar flight
speeds due to their unique wing configuration. Moreover, when the owl catches
prey, the shape of the wings is also constantly changing, so the study of the
wing edge configuration during owl flight is of great significance."
The researchers conducted several studies
using noise calculation and analysis software applied to airfoil designs with
features inspired by the serrated edges found on nocturnal owl wings. They
found that the noise was suppressed and that the asymmetric serrations had a
greater effect than symmetric ones.
However, previous studies have found that
although effective, noise reduction in rotating machinery is not universal and
depends on the final application.
Liu stated, "At present, the blade
design of rotating turbomachinery has gradually matured, but the noise
reduction technology is still at a bottleneck. The noise reduction capabilities
of conventional sawtooth structures are limited, and some new non-smooth
trailing-edge structures need to be proposed and developed to further tap the
potential of bionic noise reduction."
Read more about noise pollution here.
Also, read which is the world's noisiest
city over here.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60858571
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/beating-noise-pollution-smart-tech-230138548.html
https://www.sciencefocus.com/future-technology/owl-inspired-technology-may-reduce-noise-pollution/