From advanced acoustic research to novel silencing procedures and innovative sound treatments

Many an acoustician complains about the growing sound pollution of our environment. Very few of them, however, involve themselves into the "dirty business" of developing practicable and marketable noise control and acoustic comfort tools and materials. A Fraunhofer team in Stuttgart has taken pains to solve acute technical problems in current room acoustics and sound attenuation tasks. On their search for novel silencing procedures and innovative acoustic treatments they learnt from a pioneer of the acoustic art, A.G. Bell, that "only those who deviate from accustomed routes find new paths". A case history concludes this first of two companion papers which proves that it is possible to initiate a completely new noise abatement concept successfully in close cooperation with an agile medium-size enterprise, for the benefit of all.