MIT researchers have developed sound-suppressing silk fabric barely thicker than a human hair that contains a special fiber that vibrates when a voltage is applied to it, allowing you to suppress sound in two ways. The first one has the fabric generating sound waves that cancel out unwanted noise, similar to ANC headphones.
A second method involves holding the fabric still to suppress vibrations that are key to the transmission of sound. This prevents noise from passing through the fabric and dampens the volume beyond. This second approach is ideal for noise reduction in much larger spaces like rooms or cars. For example, the silk can be made into dividers for open workspaces or hospitals.
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Noise is a lot easier to create than quiet. In fact, to keep noise out we dedicate a lot of space to thick walls. [First author] Grace’s work provides a new mechanism for creating quiet spaces with a thin sheet of fabric,” said Yoel Fink, a professor in the departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
