Tagged with 'Sound Absorption'

While we celebrate 20 years of acoustic solutions at Audimute, we also want to celebrate the legacy of those who came before us. Today, we're highlighting the contributions of Emile Berliner.

Today, Berliner is best remembered as the inventor of the gramophone and for his groundbreaking work in helicopters and rotary engines. But he also had a lifelong interest in acoustics, which prompted him to develop the Berliner acoustic tile in the 1920s (below).

As one newspaper explained it at the time, Berliner's acoustic solution called for a room with poor acoustics to be "covered with hollow paper discs covered with thin wires to hold their shape. These are what Dr. Berliner calls 'sound sponges,' the principle being to absorb sound waves, preventing reflection." These discs were then concealed by a layer of specially made porous cement.

Berliner unveiled his concept for the first time at a meeting of the American Institute of Architects on October 8, 1925. Soon after, in February 1926, he received U.S. Patent No. 1573475 for his acoustic tile concept:

After another year of testing, Berliner gave the first public demonstration of his 'sound sponges' in February 1927 at the James F. Oyster School in Washington, D.C., during a lecture in the institution's 3,700-square-foot assembly hall by Lieutenant Benjamin H. Rigg, a member of the 1925 MacMillan Arctic Expedition. The results were immediately apparent: Lt. Rigg could be heard clearly, without echoes or reverberations distorting his speech. 

Word spread quickly. Soon after, Berliner installed his "Resonant Walls" at Drexel University, the New York Cotton Exchange, and even the board room of a financial institution in India.

Sadly, just as his work in acoustics was starting to find an audience, Berliner passed away in 1929 at age 78. It's unclear if "Berliner's Resonant Walls" continued to be installed after his death. 

(Images courtesy of Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division & the United States Patent and Trademark Office)

When pediatric Speech-Language Pathology and Occupational Therapy practice Good Nature Therapy Services contacted Audimute about sound management solutions for its brand new clinic in Aurora, Ohio, better acoustics weren't just a preference — they were a necessity for Good Nature's clients, many of whom have sensory processing difficulties that are worsened by background noise, echoes, and overall poor acoustics.

In addition to reverberations in the clinic's gymnasium and therapy rooms, there were also acoustic issues in the lobby area, where conversations containing sensitive medical and personal information were at risk of being amplified.

Working off a concept by Cleveland's innovative Richardson Design, Audimute introduced several acoustic solutions to absorb these echoes, reverberations, and mid to high frequencies:

- Custom AcoustiColor® Direct Mount Ceiling Panels designed to resemble tree canopies and clouds
- AcoustiColor Wall Panels installed around the top edges of therapy rooms
- Custom made Fabric Acoustic Panels intended for use as push pin bulletin boards
- Custom size Fabric Acoustic Panels arranged in a "shiplap" style

The result: an acoustically treated clinic where clients with sensory integration difficulties can better communicate and patient privacy is protected.

Need an acoustic solution for your healthcare facility, workplace, or home? Contact Audimute today for a free consultation with our team of Acoustic Specialists.