Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:01:42 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/ PostNuke Powered Site en-us http://www.noiseboard.com/images/logo.gif http://www.noiseboard.com/ webmaster@noiseboard.com http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=320 The 2008 Ig Nobel prizes were awarded recently which included an award to Massimiliano Zampini (University of Trento, Italy) and Charles Spence (Oxford University, UK) for conducting listening tests with people and found that by electronically modifying the sound that a potato chip makes when chewed can make the person think it is crisper and fresher. Their work was published in the Journal of Sensory Studies. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:01:42 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=319 In one of the largest hearing loss studies ever conducted, the results show there is a strong correlation between hearing loss and smoking, and that it is dose-related. There was also a strong correlation between body-mass-index and hearing loss. On the upside, the results from the study show that moderate alcohol consumption had an 'inverse correlation' with hearing loss, meaning that some drinking seems to decrease the likelihood of age related hearing loss. Read the entire journal paper here. Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:51:25 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=318 Finis have released an MP3 player for use by swimmers that uses bone conduction to transmit sound instead of conventional loudspeakers. For details see the Finis Inc. web site. Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:25:11 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=317 A collaboration between several research groups has found that a particular frog from China has the ability to 'tune' its hearing to a particular frequency range by opening and closing its Eustachian tubes. The researchers claim that this frog is the only known animal that can actively select the frequency range of interest. Read the full news article on Medical News Today. Sat, 20 Sep 2008 12:15:38 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=316 ESI Group have released the latest version of the software VA One 2008.0, which can be used for vibro-acoustic predictions across the full frequency spectrum seamlessly. The software uses unique mathematics to combine low-, mid-, and high- frequency predictions. The software combines finite elements, boundary elements and statistical energy analysis in one model. For more information about the VA One software, see the ESI Group web site. Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:59:35 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=315 Researchers have found using Functional MRI scans that the brain function is altered in patients with Hand-Vibration syndrome compared with a control group. The results were presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. 18-20 September 18-20, 2008. Chicago, USA. Read the full article on the Orthosupersite. Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:44:52 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=314 A federal appeals court in the USA (9th Circuit Court of Appeals) has rejected the Bush administration request to exempt the US Navy training activities using active sonar from environmental laws. This decision follows from a lower court that set conditions in an effort to protect whales and dolphins from the active sonar. Read more on the LA times web site. Sun, 02 Mar 2008 01:07:28 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=313 Sony have released a new type of headphone that has a separate bass 'duct', a tube that is inserted into the ear canal, and external speakers for the mid- and high- frequencies. The PFR-V1 headphones will be available for retail sale in the US in April. The reason for doing this is to provide a more natural sound rather than the 'in the head' sound from most headphones. Images of the headphones can be viewed on Sony's Japan web site. Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:08:01 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=312 Another interesting year is in store for 2008 with some great conferences in acoustics in vibrations around the globe. For a list of conferences, see the Calendar for 2008 Conferences. This web site was hacked again recently. It appears that someone did some sql injections into the forums. I've shutdown the forums as they were not widely used. I've also changed the hosting of the web site. Let me know if you spot any problems. Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:54:24 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=311 A UK company has released a CD containing pre-recorded road noises that when played back through a car stereo should excite the rattles in a car, which will help in locating these annoyances. See the Rattle Buster web site. Thu, 31 May 2007 17:40:22 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=310 A new Bluetooth mobile phone headset is now available that uses the vibration from facial bones and a microphone to reduce background noise. See the Jawbone headset website for more information. Sun, 22 Apr 2007 15:33:38 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=309 Mitsui Engineering has developed a water tank with multiple actuators that can form a standing wave pattern in the shape of letters. For the Mitsui press release see here (In Japanese), and for their brochure see here. Wed, 27 Dec 2006 19:53:36 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=308 Ulf Sanberg and Jerzy Ejsmont have released a new reference book covering all the aspects of tyre and road noise. The cost is $US230 or $E190 and is available from Informex web site. Sat, 16 Dec 2006 17:29:28 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=307 The new Nikon S7c camera has inbuilt vibration reduction to help take shaper pictures. An angular velocity sensor is used with in built image processing software to reduce blurry pictures. For more information see the Nikon press release. Sat, 28 Oct 2006 03:25:13 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=306 A company called AADcontrol have a 'new' technology to reduce the vibration of towers on 1MW turbines, called 'Active Aerodynamic Damping'. Sat, 28 Oct 2006 03:16:30 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=305 Prof Fastl and Prof Zwicker have released an updated version of their popular 1999 book on psychoacoustics called Psychoacoustics: Facts and Models . This book is a "must have" for those interested in psychoacoustics. Sun, 10 Sep 2006 04:49:42 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=304 VIP Sensors have released a new accelerometer calibrator, Model 5900. The vibration amplitude is adjustable from 0.02 g to 2 g at 100 Hz using the internal generator, or 50Hz to 2 KHz using an external oscillator. Sat, 02 Sep 2006 08:55:34 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=303 Perpetuum, a UK based company have released a product for energy 'harvesting' from vibrating machinery. The PMG7 generator outputs at much as 5 mW at 3.3V from a vibration level of 100 mg. Another company RLW has used this principle in a wireless vibration condition-monitoring product. Sat, 02 Sep 2006 08:39:01 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=302 Bruel and Kjaer have released a new instrument called the Human Vibration Analyzer Type 4447. Bruel and Kjaer, MSC (Material Sciences Corporation), and Link Engineering have built a new testing facility in Canton, Michigan, USA for design and testing of Noise Vibration Harshness issues related to automotive and communications equipment. Sat, 02 Sep 2006 08:28:58 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=301 Perpetuum have released a device to convert vibration into electricity. The device is capable of generating 5mW of power, which is usually sufficient for powering many wireless transmitters. See the news release for more information. Mon, 12 Jun 2006 11:51:42 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=300 Mathematicians at Vanderbilt University have created a mathematical model of the cochlea and use the model to show that the spiral shape acts to enhance the low frequency sounds. The researchers led by Daphne Manoussaki and her colleagues, Richard Chadwick and Emilios Dimitriadis of the National Institutes of Health, published their findings in the journal Physical Review Letters. Sat, 13 May 2006 08:21:00 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=299 United States Patent Application 20060002568 describes an invention to counter-act the effects of loud bass music that can affect sensors in seats used to detect a passenger sitting in the seat, which is used to measure the weight of the passenger and trigger the appropriate air-bag. The new sensors measures the effect of the music on the sensor and subtracts the music signal, leaving the measurement of the person's weight. Sat, 13 May 2006 02:27:28 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=298 Scientific and Technical Software have released version 2.32 of VNoise, a boundary element method software package that can be used to modelling complex, real life, vibroacoustic industrial problems. See the STS web site for more information. Mon, 08 May 2006 21:29:43 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=297 After another hacker defaced noiseboard.com, I have upgraded the entire site over the past week. If you find that something is not working, please let me know. The upgrade of the forum from XForum to PNphpBB2 was difficult, but hopefully it should all work. I've added some new links, new books, I am just about to upload some new Matlab code and the scripts used to convert XForum to PNphpBB2 (pncXF2BB2). Enjoy! Mon, 08 May 2006 01:36:43 -0700 http://www.noiseboard.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=296 Noran Engineering announced the release of NEi Nastran V9 finite element software. The improvements are new parabolic shell elements, automated super-element analysis, automated surface contact and weld generation, 3D composites using solid elements, vibration fatigue analysis, combined qualitative-quantitative result assessment, enhanced Nastran editor with automatic report generator. See the press release for more information. Sun, 30 Apr 2006 08:51:23 -0700