Materials that prevent echoes from surfaces have been used since the 1930s. Their original use was to mimic the open air, without the need to conduct measurements outside and risk noise interference from passers-by or other sources. The same principle can be applied to underwater acoustics to recreate open ocean conditions without heading out to sea. Benefits include the fact that conditions in a lab are more consistent than in the open ocean, it is cheaper to conduct experiments, and there isn’t a risk of sea sickness among the scientists in the research team.
Precision Acoustics is a global manufacturer of acoustic measurement products for medical, NDT (non-destructive testing) and academia. As a major supplier to MHz ultrasound markets, the company wanted to expand its offering and set about developing a new anechoic test-tank lining for underwater acoustics.
Read the full article in DPA's August issue