Science

Window which passes air, but does not pass noise

Researchers in South Korea have developed a remarkable new type of window that dampens sound while still allowing air to pass right on through.

Developed by Seong-Hyun Lee at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials and Sang-Hoon Kima at the South Korea Mokpo National Maritime University, the nitty-gritty of how the window works is detailed here. But in layman's terms, the windows are made up of two plates of transparent acrylic sitting 40mm apart that work as a resonance chamber, diminishing the energy of sound waves passing through. And to maximize the window's efficiency, it's perforated with 50mm holes that allow more sound to enter and get trapped, without obstructing breezes. The researchers note that changing the size of the hole allows for muting different frequencies. This they say could lead to interesting scenarios, such as a venting system that would mute annoying noises while allowing desired noise (such as waves on a beach) through along with fresh air.