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Focusing underwater sound with a lens 40% lighter than conventional designs

A Korean research team created an underwater acoustic lens capable of focusing sound precisely at a desired point while reducing weight by about 40% compared to conventional designs. The findings have significant implications for underwater communication, marine environmental monitoring, and acoustic energy transfer.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·JournalJournal of Sound and Vibration·DateJul 1, 2026

Your cells can hear

A team of researchers at Kyoto University has found that cells can hear and respond to sound waves, leading to potential applications in medicine and healthcare. The study used acoustic pressure to induce cellular responses, revealing the suppression of fat cell formation and activation of mechanosensitive genes.

SourceKyoto University·JournalCommunications Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 16, 2025

Photonic computing needs more nonlinearity: acoustics can help

Scientists have developed an all-optical activation function based on sound waves for photonic computing, enabling the creation of energy-efficient artificial intelligence systems. This breakthrough could potentially facilitate the scaling up of physical computing systems and pave the way for more efficient optical neural networks.

SourceMax Planck Institute for the Science of Light·JournalNanophotonics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 14, 2025

A unique sound alleviates motion sickness

Researchers at Nagoya University have discovered a unique sound stimulation technology that alleviates motion sickness, reducing symptoms by up to a minute of stimulation. The device stimulates the inner ear with a specific wavelength of sound, activating the vestibular system and improving balance.

SourceNagoya University·JournalEnvironmental Health and Preventive Medicine·DateApr 4, 2025

Nuclear monitoring system suggests landslide cut off internet in west Africa

Researchers used hydroacoustic data to detect a possible submarine landslide in Trou Sans Fond Canyon offshore of Ivory Coast, which may have broken communications cables and disrupted internet traffic in March 2024. The detection could help identify threats to undersea infrastructure and inform engineering standards.

SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalSeismological Research Letters·TypeObservational study·DateMar 28, 2025

POSTECH unveils world’s first dynamic shape-morphing OLED panel with built-in speaker — all while maintaining ultra-thin flexibility

The POSTECH research team developed a smartphone-type OLED panel that can transform its shape while functioning as a speaker, maintaining ultra-thin flexibility. The panel uses electrically driven piezoelectric polymer actuators to achieve complex forms without mechanical hinges or motors.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·Journalnpj Flexible Electronics·DateMar 25, 2025

‘Audible enclaves’ could enable private listening without headphones

Scientists have developed a technology called 'audible enclaves,' which can create localized pockets of sound zones where only one person can hear. This innovation uses nonlinear ultrasonic beams to generate a privacy barrier between people for private listening, enabling sound and quiet zones.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 17, 2025

Dynamic acoustics of hand clapping, elucidated

A study published in Physical Review Research reveals the intricate physical mechanisms involved in handclapping, including air flow, sound production, and resonance. The researchers found that the size and shape of the hand cavity affect the frequency of the clap, with cupped hands producing lower frequencies.

SourceCornell University·JournalPhysical Review Research·DateMar 12, 2025

Exotic waves with tangible effects

Exotic waves with tangible effects, known as Rayleigh–Bloch waves, have been found to transform into phantom-like entities above a certain cut-off frequency. At lower frequencies, these waves exhibit characteristic behavior around stainless steel struts, making them ideal for antenna design and potential communication purposes.

SourceUniversity of Augsburg·JournalCommunications Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 11, 2025

New acoustic wave phenomenon discovered

Researchers at Tohoku University discovered a novel propagation phenomenon in surface acoustic waves, leading to the development of innovative acoustic devices. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, reveals asymmetrical diffraction behavior that can be controlled using magnetic fields.

SourceTohoku University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 29, 2025

New insights into acoustic bubbles give boost to future applications

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have found key indicators for assessing chemical activity and temperature of active bubbles generated by ultrasonic waves. The study provides new insights into the relationship between bubble temperature and chemical activity, enabling more precise control of chemical reactions.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalUltrasonics Sonochemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 10, 2025

Earthquake on a chip: Scientists harness sound waves on the surface of a microchip

Researchers successfully generate guided sound waves on a microchip using lasers, enabling interactions with the environment and paving the way for new sensing technologies. The innovative approach uses special glass to contain sound waves, making it ideal for applications in signal processing and communication technologies.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalAPL Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 22, 2024

Medical imaging breakthrough could transform cancer and arthritis diagnosis

A new hand-held scanner can generate highly detailed 3D images in seconds, paving the way for earlier disease diagnosis. The technology uses laser-generated ultrasound waves to visualize subtle changes in blood vessels, helping inform patient care and diagnose conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 30, 2024

Wave scattering simulation unlocks potential for advanced metamaterials

Researchers at Macquarie University developed a new software package, TMATSOLVER, that accurately models complex wave scattering for metamaterial design. The tool enables rapid prototyping and validation of new metamaterial designs, accelerating research and development in this growing global market.

SourceMacquarie University·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 12, 2024

Pusan National University researchers propose a novel compact meta-silencer design

Researchers propose a novel compact meta-silencer design leveraging acoustic black hole and rainbow trapping effects to reduce low-frequency noise. The study demonstrates improved performance with coiled-up slits, achieving an average sound transmission loss of 6.73 dB across a broad frequency band.

SourcePusan National University·JournalMechanical Systems and Signal Processing·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 11, 2024

One-way street for sound waves

A team of researchers at ETH Zurich created a method to suppress sound wave propagation in the backward direction without deteriorating forward propagation. They achieved this using self-oscillations and a circulator, which allows sound waves to travel only one way.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 6, 2024

Pusan National University researchers use artificial intelligence to create powerful sound-dampening materials

A new deep learning-based inverse design method allows for the optimization of complex acoustic metamaterials, reducing noise pollution while maintaining ventilation. The approach enables ultra-broadband sound attenuation across various peak frequencies.

SourcePusan National University·JournalEngineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 8, 2024

Developed a 21-language, fast and high-fidelity neural text-to-speech technology that works on smartphones

A novel, fast and high-quality neural text-to-speech model was successfully developed using a Transformer encoder + ConvNeXt decoder and MS-FC-HiFi-GAN. The model can synthesize one second of speech at high speed in just 0.1 seconds using a single CPU core, achieving eight times faster synthesis than conventional methods.

Brain waves shape the words we hear

Researchers found that brain waves bias perception towards more probable sounds or words when stimuli were presented in less 'excitable' brain wave phases. This suggests that both the probability and timing of events influence what people perceive. The study has important implications for theories of predictive coding and language comp...

SourceMax Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 3, 2024