Absorbing sound with hard materials

Most sound-absorbing plates are made of porous materials. De- Amp, a new Norwegian company founded by engineers from NTNU, has taken the opposite approach, using hard materials such as metal, plastics, glass and Plexiglas to muffle sound. The secret lies in very fine micro fissures that have been burnt right through the plates using a laser, combined with the design of the spacing between the fissures. The metal plates are less than one millimetre thick and are intended for indoor use, in ceilings or walls. The plates have to have a space of a few centimetres behind them to muffle the echo of bass and mid-range sounds, which are in the pitch of the human voice.

Source: deamp.comAdded: 7 June 2006