Curtains on All That Noise
Hospitals and nursing homes can be noisy places, making it hard for people
to sleep. To provide patients with some relief, researchers at Georgia
Tech's aerospace and transportation laboratory have made high-tech curtains
consisting of sheets of fabric that sandwich a noise-dampening plastic. In
tests, the curtains reduced noise levels by 12 decibels-roughly a factor of
16.
The curtains are scheduled for further trials in actual nursing homes.
Krishan Ahuja, head of the acoustics and aerodynamics branch at the lab,says the drapes could also be used to cut noise in factories and offices. By usi
ng different materials in the middle of the curtains (the group has tested
everything from cardboard to metal), the Georgia Tech scientists can adjust
the level of noise reduction. Ahuja hopes the quiet curtains will be ready
for commercialization within a year.
