VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE ACOUSTIC BUILDING INCLUDING REVOLVER BEING FIRED IN SOUNDLESS ROOM (SOF).




Initials AA/V---S/CT/JG



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Background: THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION AGE, THE JET AGE, THE SPACE AGE -- GREAT ADVANCES THAT HAVE PRODUCED A COMMON ENEMY: NOISE. COMPLETE SILENCE, OF COURSE, IS NOT A NATURAL THING, AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE. BUT PERHAPS THE QUIETEST PLACE IN EUROPE CAN BE FOUND IN A ROOM IN COPENHAGEN TECHNICAL SCHOOL. ALL THE SCIENCE ON SILENCE HAS BEEN APPLIED TO THIS ROOM -- THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN EUROPE - WHICH HAS JUST BEEN OPENED AT A COST OF GBP250,000.

THIS WING OF THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE IS TO CONCENTRATE ON SOUND RESEARCH. EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO CONSTRUCT A ROOM IN WHICH ALL NOISE WILL BE PURE, AND NOT ADDED TO BY THE REFLECTION OF SOUND FROM THE WALLS, FLOOR, OR CEILING. THEORETICALLY, AND APPARENTLY, ALL THE SOUND THAT REACHES THE CONFINES OF THE ROOM IS ABSORBED BY HUGE METAL WOOL WEDGES. THE FLOOR IS MADE UP OF THOUSANDS OF PIANO STRINGS STRETCHED OVER WEDGES, AND THE WHOLE ROOM, WHICH WEIGHS 1,200 TONS, IS MOUNTED ON HUGE RUBBER FEET.

HOW EFFECTIVE THE ROOM IS CAN BE HEARD WHEN A PISTOL IS FIRED. THE LOUD REPORT IS VERY CONSIDERABLY REDUCED. AND OUTSIDE THE ROOM NOTHING IS HEARD AT ALL.

THE ROOM WILL BE USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND RESEARCH. IT WILL BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR TESTING SUCH DEVICES AS HEARING AIDS, LOUDSPEAKERS, AND TELEPHONES.