An international group of researchers has developed self-powered mobile polymers that can move without traditional power sources. The polymers directly convert ultraviolet light into motion, eliminating the need for electronics or other mechanisms.
Researchers have developed a new 3-D printed device that can harness high-pressure ultrasound to manipulate tiny objects like particles, drops or biological tissue. This control enables precise applications in surgery, material analysis and scientific research.
Researchers found that supersonic solitary waves in nano-electronics crystals can be used for electric charge or matter transport and energy storage with extremely low heat dissipation. These localized excitations could lead to the development of transistors without silicon, revolutionizing the field of nano-electronics.
Researchers discovered that mice create ultrasound by directing a small air jet against the inner wall of their larynx, producing an ultrasonic whistle. This innovative mechanism has implications for understanding social sounds in rodents and potentially even human speech disorders.
Researchers from Aalto University have made a breakthrough in controlling the motion of multiple objects on a vibrating plate using acoustic sources. They can simultaneously move up to six objects towards desired targets by playing carefully constructed melodies.
Researchers at Yale University have created a Moebius strip-like structure by manipulating the shape of connected vibrating springs, demonstrating a new way to control waves. The experiment showcases an extension to the adiabatic theorem, which predicts a robust method for wave manipulation.
Researchers create compact high sensitivity sensors using diamond microstructures, achieving record high microwave frequencies and quality factor. They proposed a mathematical model to select useful acoustic signals and decrease spurious peaks, paving the way for applications in various fields.
A team of engineers from Penn State's Applied Research Laboratory have developed an innovative approach to stabilize supercavitation bubbles, reducing the pulsation and noise that can occur during underwater vehicle movement. By applying a sinusoidal air flow variation, they were able to suppress pulsation states in many cases, allowin...
Scientists at UCLA's Voice Center for Medicine and the Arts studied Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Carly Fiorina's speech patterns across various settings. They discovered that despite differing messages, the politicians employed similar voice modulation strategies to convey charisma.
Researchers at Penn State tracked the cause of a loud noise made by a type of golf club and found it was due to vibrations in the club head. The vibrations were strongest in the most sensitive range of human hearing, leading to an annoyingly loud sound that some players compared to a cookie tray hitting a car.
Megan S. Ballard receives the R. Bruce Lindsay Award from the Acoustical Society of America for her contributions to underwater acoustic propagation modeling and inversion techniques in acoustical oceanography. The award recognizes her research on sound field calculation in complex underwater environments.
Whitlow Au, a renowned expert in dolphin biosonar, receives the prestigious Gold Medal from the Acoustical Society of America. His research has focused on understanding why dolphin biosonar is superior to man-made sonar.
Susan Blaeser, Standards Manager of the Acoustical Society of America, has been awarded the Distinguished Service Citation for her outstanding service to the society. She has managed the ASA Standards Program and administered U.S. Technical Advisory Groups to international organizations.
Armen Sarvazyan has been awarded the Helmholtz-Rayleigh Interdisciplinary Silver Medal by the Acoustical Society of America for his contributions to ultrasound imaging and its applications. He made significant findings on elasticity imaging technology and developed ultrasonic devices for biomolecular interactions.
A new web-based prototype of a speech-controlled nutrition-logging system has been developed to make meal logging easier. The system allows users to verbally describe the contents of a meal, and automatically retrieves pertinent nutritional data from an online database.
Researchers created a visual speech recognition technology that can accurately translate lip movements into spoken words, even in noisy environments or when audio is unavailable. This technology has the potential to be applied in various situations, including criminal investigations and entertainment.
Researchers at Aalto University found that acoustic concert halls play a significant role in the emotional impact of music. Identically selected performances of classical orchestra music evoked stronger emotional responses when presented in acoustics of Vienna Musikverein or Berlin Konzerthaus, shoebox-type concert halls.
Researchers at CNRS and University of Lorraine develop a coiled-up acoustic metasurface that achieves total acoustic absorption in very low-frequency ranges. The absorber's deep-subwavelength thickness enables it to handle large wavelengths with reduced size structure, making it physically practical for most applications.
Researchers at RMIT University have created a new class of sound wave that can be used to manipulate fragile stem cells without causing damage. The 'surface reflected bulk waves' are gentle enough for biomedical devices and open up new possibilities in stem cell treatment.
The University of Huddersfield has made a significant recording of the ancient Celtic instrument carnyx, featuring John Kenny's compositions and improvisations. The project, part of the European Music Archaeology Project (EMAP), aims to recreate prehistoric music and showcase its importance in understanding European heritage.
Researchers extend catalogue of material properties with first liquid measurements under extreme conditions. The study suggests that only about 1.2% of the core is carbon, with other light elements present.
A study by University of Texas at Dallas researchers shows that watching 3-D images of tongue movements can help individuals learn speech sounds. The findings could be especially helpful for stroke patients seeking to improve their speech articulation.
Research finds that Hanoks' earthen walls, paper windows, and wooden floors create a resonance effect, amplifying sound clarity and reverberation time. The unique acoustics of these traditional Korean houses make them suitable for playing classic instruments like zithers.
A study conducted by a University of Nebraska student found that cheering crowd noise levels in college hockey stadiums have no strong correlation with goals scored. The study measured noise levels during four games and found the loudest sections to be around 95 decibels, which is equivalent to hearing a jackhammer from 50 feet away.
Researchers from McGill University found that people are highly accurate at judging emotions based on head movements alone, even without sound or facial expressions. This discovery could aid in the development of automated emotion recognition systems or human-interaction robots.
Researchers found that howler monkey species with larger hyoid bones produce sounds with lower frequencies, suggesting a larger body size. This is associated with smaller testes and vice versa, indicating a trade-off between vocal investment and sperm production.
Paul D. Schomer, Owner and Principal of Schomer and Associates, has been recognized with the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Distinguished Service Citation for his excellent service as Standards Director and leadership in developing acoustics standards. He was awarded the citation at the 170th meeting of the ASA on November 4, 2015.
Brian G. Ferguson has been awarded the Acoustical Society of America's Silver Medal in Signal Processing in Acoustics for his work on in-air and in-water acoustic classification, localization, and tracking. He is recognized for his research accomplishments in acoustics, which have defense and national security applications.
John L. Butler, Chief Scientist at Image Acoustics, Inc., received the Acoustical Society of America's Silver Medal in Engineering Acoustics for advancing acoustic transducer and transducer array design. The award recognizes contributions to the advancement of science through acoustic principles.
Roy D. Patterson, a renowned auditory neuroscientist, has been awarded the Acoustical Society of America's Silver Medal in Psychological and Physiological Acoustics. He made significant contributions to understanding pitch and timbre perception, as well as computational modeling of auditory representations.
Professor John J. Ohala has been awarded the Acoustical Society of America's Silver Medal in Speech Communication for his contributions to understanding speech production and perception, as well as applying phonetic principles to study spoken language change over time.
Professor Yang-Hann Kim has been awarded the Rossing Prize for his contributions to acoustics education, including teaching and textbook writing. He is recognized for his work on sound visualization and manipulation, which enables the creation of private sound zones.
Researchers at ETH Zurich developed a new type of acoustic imaging device that extracts contour information during measurement, creating detailed outline images of objects. The method uses evanescent waves and is useful for quickly recording relevant information about objects.
A new study reveals that infant marmosets develop vocalizations influenced by cues from caregivers, suggesting a potential key to understanding human-like vocal development in primates. The research found a strong correlation between parental responses and the timing of the cries-to-phees transition.
Gerhard M. Sessler, a renowned expert in acoustics, received the 2015 Gold Medal of the Acoustical Society of America for his groundbreaking work on electret and silicon-based microphones. His inventions have led to the development of highly sensitive and cost-effective microphones that dominate global production.
Porfiri's research on mechanical vibrations could lead to safer ships and ways to harvest energy from aquatic systems. His work aims to design lightweight, fuel-efficient marine vessels and microsystems with untapped energy-harvesting capabilities.
Matthew W. Urban, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, received the R. Bruce Lindsay Award for his work on ultrasonic measurement of viscoelastic properties of tissues. The award recognizes his substantial contributions to acoustics through published papers.
Henry Cox, Senior Fellow at Lockheed Martin, has made fundamental and practical contributions to array signal processing, underwater acoustics, and sonar systems engineering. The Helmholtz-Rayleigh Silver Medal is awarded for interdisciplinary contributions named after two great pioneers of acoustics.
According to archaeo-acoustician Steven J. Waller, ancient cultures sought booming echoes in their performance spaces, rather than clear tones. This reflects a cultural difference between past and present worldviews, where echoes were once considered mysterious and divine.
The GOES-R satellite has begun environmental testing to simulate the harsh conditions of launch and the space environment. This includes vibration, acoustics, and temperature testing to ensure the satellite is properly protected from electromagnetic phenomena in space.
Researchers explored how wind turbines impact prairie chicken courtship, the emergence of spoken language in deaf children with cochlear implants, and the effects of noise on human cardiovascular health. These studies showcase innovative approaches to understanding animal behavior, hearing technology, and the impact of sound on our lives.
The Department of Navy announced 36 young investigators who will receive grants to fund research in various naval-relevant science and technology areas. The awardees, representing 31 institutions across the US, will receive funding for laboratory equipment, graduate student stipends, and other expenses.
The U.S. Northeast Passive Acoustic Sensing Network (NEPAN) uses buoys and autonomous underwater vehicles to record and archive sounds from marine mammals and fish in the western North Atlantic. The data will inform NOAA Fisheries stock assessment reports, permit consultations, and specific management actions.
The Acoustical Society of America has published a free online booklet to aid architects in understanding and meeting the national classroom acoustics standard, ANSI/ASA S12.60. The booklet provides practical guidance on topics such as room acoustics, reverberation time, and sound transmission class, to help architects create classrooms...
The study developed a method enabling dialogue replacement for automated video redubbing, utilizing facial movements associated with speech sounds. The approach produced far more plausible alternative word sequences than conventional methods.
Researchers at VIMS have developed an underwater robot that uses acoustic signals to gauge the thickness of oil slicks, a crucial step in determining spill volume. The ROV will aid in testing oil-spill-response tools and provide a platform for developing other sensors.
Researchers identified over 100 biologically important areas (BIAs) in U.S. waters to inform conservation and management decisions for whales, dolphins, and porpoises. BIAs cover 24 species, stocks, or populations in seven regions and include reproductive, feeding, migratory, and population-concentrated areas.
Sheila E. Blumstein received the Silver Medal in Speech Communication from the Acoustical Society of America for her work on how acoustic signals are transformed into linguistic representations. She has made significant contributions to our understanding of speech processing and neural systems.
Ning Xiang, Director of Graduate Program in Architectural Acoustics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been awarded the Wallace Clement Sabine Medal by the Acoustical Society of America. He is recognized for his contributions to measurements and analysis techniques, numerical simulation of sound fields in coupled rooms.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that the sound of a person's voice can convey their level of power, with speakers assigned to high-power roles having higher-pitched, more monotone voices. Listeners were able to accurately categorize these vocal cues and associate them with high-power behaviors.
A new acoustics study suggests that mothers alter their speech patterns to both babies in a twin pair, even if only one infant has hearing loss. Mothers use lower pitch and more variable intonation with the normal-hearing twin compared to the hearing-impaired twin.
Researchers propose that ancient cave paintings were inspired by the misinterpretation of sound waves as 'supernatural' echoes. The theory suggests that early humans may have made artwork in response to these echoes, which could have led to the depiction of mythical creatures on cave walls.
A new study by University at Buffalo confirms that COPD patients breathe easier and report improved health status when using the Lung Flute, a hand-held respiratory device. The six-month study shows significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life.
A smartphone app has shown promise in detecting early signs of mood changes in people with bipolar disorder through voice analysis during everyday phone conversations. The app, called PRIORI, analyzes broad features and properties of speech to identify potential mood swings.
Researchers found the bio-duck sound is made by Antarctic minke whales, which stay in ice-covered waters year-round or migrate to lower latitudes. The discovery helps improve understanding of the species' distribution, abundance, and behavior.
Researchers developed an optical diode with nonreciprocal light transmission, eliminating backflow of light. The device enhances light transmission in one direction, leading to faster and cooler computers.
Acoustic metadevices enable the dynamic alteration of three-dimensional colloidal crystals' geometry in real-time. Researchers have developed reconfigurable metamaterials with potential applications in optics and acoustics, such as beam deflectors and acoustic barriers.
Researchers at Duke University have successfully demonstrated the world's first three-dimensional acoustic cloak, rerouting sound waves to create an illusion of emptiness. The device has potential applications in sonar avoidance and architectural acoustics, altering sound wave trajectory to match a flat surface.
Researchers found that shoebox-shaped concert halls can enhance musical dynamics due to strong lateral reflections. This design could lead to better concert hall designs, improving the transmission of orchestra played dynamics.
Researchers have created an acoustic field rotator, a device that manipulates sound waves, using metamaterials. The device can rotate sound waves in a manner similar to electromagnetic or liquid wave counterparts, which could improve the operation of medical ultrasound machines and enhance image quality.