Research published in eNeuro reveals that fragile X syndrome affects the development of sound-processing neurons in the brainstem. The study found reduced cell sizes in mice with FXS, indicating a role for FMRP in auditory system development.
A new drone system detects voices and sounds from disaster victims through background noise, helping rescue teams locate them faster. The system combines microphone array technology, sound source localization, and automatic speech recognition.
Researchers develop CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing therapy to prevent hearing loss in a mouse model of human genetic progressive deafness. The therapy delivers the protein complex directly into sound-sensing cells, disrupting the mutation that causes cell death and preserving some hearing.
A study of zebra finches found that when young birds mimic sounds they've memorized, neural activity increases in specific brain regions. This process may hold the key to understanding how humans learn complex behaviors like speech and precise movements.
Researchers studied Felix Baumgartner's free fall and found that his irregularly shaped equipment allowed him to break the sound barrier faster than a smooth, symmetrical body. The investigation revealed that surface irregularities can reduce aerodynamic drag at speeds close to the speed of sound.
Researchers at University of Maryland School of Medicine identified a type of cell in the brain's primary processing area that responds to sound, providing new insights into early sensory development. This breakthrough has implications for diagnosing autism and other cognitive deficits emerging early in development.
The clarinet's unique sound in early New Orleans jazz is attributed to its size, shape, reed, and mouthpiece. Michael G. White's research aims to refine this tone on the Boehm system clarinet, exploring factors such as internal bore shape, fingerings, and player embouchure.
The density and length of teeth on male bush-crickets' wings play a crucial role in altering the tone of their mating calls, with shorter files producing more musical calls and rigid files with higher tooth density producing lower tonal purity.
Researchers developed a system that allows citizens to monitor water temperatures and noise levels in real-time, generating live music from the marine world. The Sonic Kayak project demonstrates potential for transdisciplinary research, merging biosciences, remote sensing, sound art, coding, and sports.
A recent study by Remy Wenmaekers reveals that physical measures have little effect in reducing sound levels due to instrument contribution. Earplugs are the only solution to help musicians reduce excessive sound levels, especially for trumpet and flute players.
Researchers observed bowhead whales rubbing against rocks in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, to remove dead skin. The warmer coastal waters may facilitate molting during summer months.
Researchers have found that crested pigeons produce a critical high-pitched sound as they fly away from danger, which serves as an alarm signal. The birds' wings produce alternating high and low notes in flight, with the high notes being crucial for sounding an alarm.
A new study led by University of Maryland neuroscientists found that subplate neurons, thought to have no role in transmitting sensory information, may conduct such signals after all. This discovery could enable early diagnosis of autism and other cognitive deficits.
A tsunami in Hawaii's Kona Coast provided a rare glimpse into underwater soundscapes without human disruption, revealing that boat traffic and sonar exercises create the loudest disruptions in bays. This study validates concerns about human noise pollution disrupting dolphin sleep patterns.
A research team from SUTD developed a highly accurate single cell level sorting technology using sound waves, which enables the isolation of rare cell populations in complex biological samples. This technology has the potential to advance precision medicine for cancer treatment by examining DNA mutations at single cell level.
Researchers have developed an asymmetric sound absorber that can absorb sound energy while allowing light and air to pass through. The system uses a two-port design with a waveguide, enabling near-total absorption of sound energy from outside the room.
A new study by McGill University researchers reveals that the brain's motor signals play a crucial role in distinguishing complex sounds. By anticipating the occurrence of next tone, the motor system sharpens auditory perception, even when participants remain still.
Scientists have devised a way to intercept exosomes from blood using microfluidics and sound waves, which can be used to diagnose problems like cancer or fetal abnormalities. The new device analyzes patient blood samples for rapid diagnosis in under 25 minutes.
Researcher Benjamin J. Perrin is advancing knowledge of age-related hearing loss by exploring the function of sensory cells in the inner ear. He hopes to develop a maintenance-of-living-cells approach to prevent or restore hearing loss, with implications for millions of people.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are exploring a new architectural system based on acoustic diodes to create effective sound barriers that can cancel out unwanted noise. The technology has the potential to improve indoor comfort, reduce mental stress, and enhance workplace efficiency.
Researchers have developed a new technique to suppress scattering from material defects, improving the performance of sensors and communication systems. By inducing chirality in sound waves, they can reduce energy loss and increase data fidelity.
A team of researchers from UCR developed a ceramic skull implant that allows doctors to deliver therapeutic sound waves into the brain. The material, made of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia, is biocompatible and shatter-resistant, making it ideal for implants.
Researchers discovered cooperative neural networks in posterior parietal cortex, allowing information persistence over time, and contrasted with independent auditory cortex neurons.
Researchers used a deep-diving robot to study deep scattering layers, finding that they contain discrete groups or 'schools' of squids, fishes, and crustaceans. These groups have distinct boundaries and are formed by similar-sized animals, with smaller animals staying closer together.
Researchers studied the Sun using sound waves to find that its significant magnetic activity layer has grown thinner in recent years. This change is being investigated as a possible cause of unusual solar activity.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that restricting a key brain chemical, adenosine, helped adult mice learn from passive sound exposure, similar to young children. The study suggests extending the learning window in humans by targeting adenosine activity with drugs.
New research finds that advertisements highlighting more proximal sensory experiences (touch/taste) lead to earlier purchases, while those emphasizing distal sensory experiences (sight/sound) delay them. This study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggests new ways for marketers to differentiate their products and services.
Researchers are using head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) to personalize audio in mixed and virtual reality. By capturing a person's unique acoustic fingerprint, the technology can create an immersive sound environment that simulates spatial hearing.
Researchers developed a sound-insulating curtain system that can reduce outside noise levels by up to 26 decibels. The system uses multiple layers of fabrics with different acoustical impedances attached to aluminum tracks, creating variable zones for private conversations or meetings.
Researchers introduce a new pedestrian-friendly car-horn sound that immediately alerts pedestrians of danger while reducing unpleasantness. The study, led by Myungjin Bae, uses the Mean Option Score (MOS) to evaluate candidate horn sounds, ranking them on a scale from bad to excellent.
Researchers have identified a new brain mechanism that contributes to learning an association between an auditory warning and a fearful event. Changes in lattice-like structures in the brain known as perineuronal nets are necessary to capture and consolidate the fear association, which can aid research into combating PTSD.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have designed a sound that is completely inaudible to humans yet is audible to any microphone. This technique, called 'BackDoor,' has numerous applications, including securing private conversations and protecting confidential meetings from electronic eavesdropping. The signal can also be used t...
A new UCL and University of Nottingham study found that most neurons in the brain's auditory cortex detect sound location relative to the head, but some track the actual position in the world. The researchers monitored ferrets while they moved around a small arena surrounded by speakers, using electrodes and LEDs to track movement.
Researchers from NC State University developed an ultra-thin sound diffuser that is 10 times thinner than existing designs, reducing echoes and improving sound quality. The new design uses less material and takes up less space, making it lighter and less expensive.
Research found that mechanical heart valve noise disturbs sleep in nearly a quarter of patients, with women more affected than men. The study also showed that patients often find ways to cope with the noise, such as sleeping on their right side or using earplugs.
The study found that Ormia's mechanically-coupled hearing system prevents it from using spatial release from masking, which improves signal detection in noisy environments. This limitation affects the fly's ability to navigate complex situations and may have implications for developing artificial sensors.
Researchers from the University of Exeter have developed a method to use graphene to generate complex and controllable sound signals, opening up new possibilities for audio-visual technologies. The technique involves heating and cooling graphene using an alternating electric current, generating sound waves without physical movement.
A recent study reveals that human-related noise is doubling background sound levels in 63% of US protected areas, with significant impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. This increase in noise pollution is attributed to the growing presence of manmade disturbances in previously remote regions.
A study by Colorado State University found that noise pollution was twice as high as background sound levels in a majority of US protected areas, causing harm to wildlife and visitor experiences. The research highlights the need to protect natural acoustic resources from human activities such as roads, aircraft, and development.
Physicists at Brigham Young University have developed an acoustic technique called time reversal that uses targeted sound vibrations to knock over Lego figures. This technology has far-reaching implications for fields like private communication, targeted noise cancelation, and even medical treatments such as destroying kidney stones.
A team led by Dr. Dan Stowell is developing a new approach to machine learning using the dawn chorus, enabling computers to analyze sounds and identify patterns. The research has potential applications in areas such as climate change analysis, historic birdsong recordings, and improving human language understanding.
A new study from Northwestern University finds that sound wave stimulation synchronized to brain waves triples memory scores in older adults and enhances deep sleep. The technique, which uses real-time brain wave analysis, shows promise as a non-meditation approach to improving brain health.
A team of University College London researchers created a method for generating ultrasound via the photoacoustic effect by tailoring optoacoustic surface profiles. They used 3D printing to create samples with specific shapes, allowing them to control where sound fields would focus and even create continuous shapes.
Researchers have invented a super-material that bends, shapes and focuses sound waves, pushing the boundaries of metamaterials. This innovation has the potential to revolutionize medical imaging and personal audio, allowing for precise control over sound waves.
A new model pinpoints sources of nitrogen pollution in Long Island Sound, helping municipalities identify actions to alleviate it. The tool, developed by UConn ecologist Jamie Vaudrey, shows the impact of different actions on nitrogen runoff and provides a detailed analysis of 116 estuaries, rivers, and harbors.
A £1.7 million, five-year project will provide electronic music composers with access to newly-developed software tools and methodologies to mine vast digital sound databases. This will enable the creation of exciting new sounds and ideas, pushing the limits of new 'sound worlds'.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a tiny device that uses sound waves to create whirlpools to gather proteins and other biomarkers from blood, urine or saliva samples. This innovative technology has the potential to form the basis of a small, inexpensive point-of-care device for early disease diagnosis.
A team of researchers developed a non-invasive method to detect and quantify wood decay in living trees, which can help understand global carbon pools and tree health. The sonic tomography technology uses sound waves to image the trunk, allowing for the creation of color-coded images of decaying wood.
Researchers found eelgrass population stable across Puget Sound basin despite increased human population and shoreline development. Localized declines have been observed at individual beaches, with other shorelines showing healthy eelgrass growth.
Researchers have developed a 3D printable sonic tractor beam that can trap small beads, insects, and even biological samples using sound waves. The device is created by designing a metamaterial with tubes of different lengths, which shape the sound waves to create a trapping environment.
Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a nanoscale ultrasound technique that can see inside individual living cells without damaging them. This breakthrough method could rival optical super-resolution techniques, which won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, by using shorter-than-optical wavelengths of sound.
Researchers from Autodesk and Dartmouth College developed Printone, an interactive design tool that allows users to create functional 3-D printed wind instruments with interactive sound simulation feedback. Users can transform shapes into instruments and play favorite melodies.
Researchers at MIT's CSAIL develop a sound-recognition system that outperforms predecessors without requiring expensive hand-annotated data. The system is trained on video and achieves high accuracy rates, with applications in improving mobile device context sensitivity and situational awareness of autonomous robots.
Researchers at Disney Research developed an AI-based system that can automatically learn the association between images and sounds, with applications in film sound effects and aiding visually impaired individuals. The system uses video data to filter out uncorrelated sounds and learns which sounds are associated with an image.
Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discovered a previously unknown element of whale songs, particle motion, which could travel further than expected. This finding raises concerns about potential interference with whale communication due to human-made noise in the ocean.
Researchers discovered that jumping spiders can detect sounds in the 80-380 Hertz range at distances up to 10 feet, even without ears or ear drums. This ability helps them respond to predators like the Mud Dauber wasp.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a simple, energy-efficient way to create three-dimensional acoustic holograms using Lego-like metamaterials. The technique manipulates sound waves into desired patterns, enabling applications such as improving sound quality in speakers and creating realistic ultrasound images.
A new study by University of Illinois professor Carlos J. Torelli found that younger, more educated Chinese consumers tend to favor phonosemantic brand translations, which integrate both sound and meaning into a product's name. This approach signals cultural sensitivity and respect for the local culture.
Researchers found strong associations between certain sounds and common objects/ideas across languages, including body parts and natural phenomena. The study's findings suggest that humans tend to use similar sounds to describe basic concepts, regardless of language.
Scientists have created graphene audio speakers for mobile devices with a sound quality comparable to existing systems. The new fabrication method uses ultra-thin graphene aerogels that don't vibrate and can be mass-produced for use in mobile devices.