Researchers Device a Way to Extract Hidden Information in Sound Waves
Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a new way to unlock greater amounts of data from acoustic fields by essentially turning down the pitch of sound waves. That additional information could boost performance of passive sonar and echolocation systems for detecting and tracking adversaries in the ocean, medical imaging devices, seismic surveying systems for locating oil and mineral deposits, and possibly radar systems as well.
Acoustic fields are unexpectedly richer in information than is typically thought, according to David Dowling, a professor in U-M's Department of Mechanical Engineering and the lead researcher. He likens his approach to solving the problem of human sensory overload. Sitting in a room with eyes closed, one would have little trouble locating someone speaking at normal volume without looking. Speech frequencies are right in the comfort zone for human hearing. Now, imagine yourself in the same room when a smoke alarm goes off. That annoying screech is generated by sound waves at higher frequencies, and in the midst of them, it would be difficult for you to locate the source of the screech without opening your eyes for additional sensory information. The higher frequency of the smoke alarm sound creates directional confusion for the human ear. The new techniques developed by Dowling and his team will allow just about any signal to be shifted to a frequency range where you will no longer be confused. Click here to read more.
