The recent release of a tape recording of Osama bin Laden’s voice has officials questioning the authenticity of the speaker. Signal processing techniques and speech analysts have been employed to determine if the recording is of bin Laden or a skilled impersonator.
Read the story on yahoo.com.
BRE has developed an aircraft cabin simulator for an Airbus A300, and are developing a similar mock-up for a A380. The simulator is used for testing including noise, vibration, temperature, and humidity on cabin and cockpit crew and passengers.
Read the story on the SAE web site.
Read about the simulator on the BRE web site.
Mazda Motor Corporation selected MTS Systems Corporation and nCode to develop a virtual testing capability for durability, noise, vibration, and harshness.
Read the story on the MTS web site.
A consortium of 51 manufacturers from engine, aircraft, and equipment sectors as well as design and manufacturing firms, research establishments, and universities, are joining to develop technologies that would enable a minimum six-decibel reduction in aircraft noise.
Read the story on the SAE web site.
A new method of making MEMS devices is on the way. Traditional MEMS devices are made by etching silicon. A new method has been developed to etch metal, called EFAB. It is a metal deposition process that can be used to make complex 3D shapes. With EFAB processing, one can make electromagnetic actuators (e.g., solenoids) or sensors based on electromagnetic transduction—applications not well served by silicon micromachining.
Read the full article on the Sensor Mag web site.
Akustica is a US start-up company (not to be confused with the journal of the same name), that is developing MEMS that have combined on-chip microphones and electronics, and also speaker and electronics. This new technology allows the components to be miniaturised and produced extremely cheaply. They have developed microphones that are less than 1 mm^2, and a miniature speaker array that has 8 individually controllable speakers.
Read about the technology on the Akustica web site.
A model will be shown at the Science Musuem in London, of a tooth implant that has a receiver and shaker. The device will receive RF signals and vibrate the jaw bone so that an audible signal can be heard in the ear of the wearer.
Read the full story on the Telegraph web site.
Silence International, a Norwegian company, has developed an active noise control headrest called the “Silent Zone headrest”. The Silent Zone headrest will first be introduced in diesel locomotives.
Read the full story on the Silence International web site.
Researchers at Vanderbuilt University, Department of Mechanical Engineering are developing active control systems to reduce the noise inside the payload bay of rockets. The take-off noise and vibration inside the rocket is responsible for many satellite failures and satellite manufacturers have to re-inforce the construction of their satellites to withstand the harsh conditions. By reducing the noise inside the paylaod bay, the weight of the satellite can be reduced, which substantially reduces the cost per launch. Ken Frampton’s group is designing modular active vibration control systems that will be scalable, as the number of nodes increases.
Read the full article on the Vanderbuilt University, Department of Mechanical Engineering web site.
Matsushita (usually known as Panasonic), have developed an ultra-thin speaker called the “Sound Slim”. Conventional speakers have a cylindrical arrangement of the voice coil and magnet, whereas the Sound Slim speakers has the voice coil placed horizontally between two permanent magnets, which results in reduction in size of about 3/4 the thickness and 1/2 the width compared to a conventional speaker.
Read the press release on the Matsushita web site.