|
|
| ||
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Faculty/Staff Newspaper - Volume 23. No.35 | July 5, 1999 |
|
Contents
-High-Tech Drapes -Scholarship in Teaching -White Pages Online -Immunizations -Degree is Worth the Wait -Did You Know?
Campus Events
Classifieds
Publication is weekly throughout the academic year.
All Whistle submissions
All phone numbers listed in
Cost/$350 ..... Copies/4,500
Georgia Tech is a unit of the
|
High-tech drapes draw curtain on noiseT.J. Becker Research News and Publications New high-tech drapes are drawing the curtain on unwanted noise. Krishan Ahuja, Regents’ researcher and head of the acoustics and aerodynamics branch in the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s (GTRI) Aerospace and Transportation Laboratory, has designed a unique modular system of curtains that blends aesthetics with the sound of silence. The invention, appropriately dubbed “Quiet Curtains,” stems from an effort to battle nocturnal noise in nursing homes, from a roommate snoring to carts rolling down the hall. Ahuja’s idea: transform the curtains that hang around a patient’s bed into a product that not only provides visual privacy, but also acts as an acoustical shield. Though initially designed with nursing homes in mind, Quiet Curtains have broad consumer applications, said Ahuja. He lists offices, hotels, libraries, schools, homes, factories and even motor vehicles as potential users of the high-tech drapes. In making the curtains, sheets of noise shielding material are sandwiched between two pieces of fabric and supported by a unique pocket system. A variety of materials can be used for the noise shields—ranging from cardboard to metal. “It depends on how much noise you want to reduce,” explained Ahuja, who is also a professor in the School of Aerospace Engineering. Aided by two undergraduate students, Jessica Shearer, a physics major, and Mary Lynn Rivamonte, an aerospace engineering major, Ahuja conducted extensive testing to determine the noise reduction capabilities of various insert materials and exterior fabric. Besides analyzing acoustical properties, the researchers looked for such qualities as durability, fire retention and strength. Finally, they selected a plastic material to use as noise shielding material for the Quiet Curtains nursing home prototype. In benchmark studies, the prototype reduced noise by about 7 decibels (dB). What’s more, by adding a floor extension and valance, noise dropped approximately 12 dB. This is a deceptively large number as decibels are logarithmic units of measurement rather than linear. “A reduction of 12 dB implies a reduction of sound intensity by a factor of 16,” said Ahuja. “It’s akin to saying that if 16 toddlers were screaming ‘I want Mommy’ all at the same time on one side of the curtain, with a 12dB reduction on the other side, it would appear as though only one toddler was screaming.” “This is an innovative step to helping nursing home patients,” said Joseph Ouslander, director of the Atlanta VA Rehab R&D Center of Excellence on Geriatric Rehabilitation, which supported development and pilot work for Quiet Curtains. Last year while studying nighttime incontinence management, the Rehab R&D Center began to examine environmental factors affecting patients’ rest, namely noise—which led to Ahuja’s involvement and invention. “There really hasn’t been much research work done that has looked at noise in nursing homes—especially as it relates to sleep disturbance,” said Bettye Rose Connell, a researcher in environment and behavior at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. “What impresses me is that Quiet Curtains are such a practical solution to a real problem.” Due to the noise shielding inserts, Quiet Curtains are heavier than regular curtains. Yet they remain easy to transport by folding up accordion style. Maintenance is also hassle-free, said Ahuja: “Just remove the noise shielding panels, and you can toss the curtains in the washing machine.” “The beauty about this is its tremendous adaptability,” said Ahuja, noting that virtually any fabric, color and pattern can be used for the exterior shell. Noise reduction capabilities can also be customized. “Noise shielding panel material can be changed depending upon one’s desire or need to control low-frequency or high-frequency noise,” he said. Size is yet another aspect of the invention’s flexibility. Quiet Curtains adapt to small spaces, controlling noise generated by computers and printers or providing just-in-time privacy for open-office environments. Or large-scale curtains can be constructed for the factory floor. “Because they’re so easy to wash, Quiet Curtains are ideal for rugged industrial settings,” said Ahuja. Specific costs haven’t been determined yet. “Obviously they are going to be more expensive than conventional curtains,” said Ahuja, but he is confident Quiet Curtains can be cost efficient for a broad range of users.
A provisional patent has been filed and commercialization efforts are under way,
including a search for potential marketing and manufacturing licensees.
Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, nothing contained herein constitutes nor is intended to constitute an offer, inducement, promise, or contract of any kind. The data contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not represented to be error free. Any links to non-Georgia Tech information are provided as a courtesy. They are not intended to nor do they constitute an endorsement by the Georgia Institute of Technology of the linked materials.
Approved by the Office of External Affairs on 09/24/97
|
||