Read about acoustics

Do you want to learn about past research or ongoing projects? Check out these free resources and read about acoustics!

Acoustics Today

This quarterly magazine contains tutorials, technical articles, ASA news, and more. The pieces in the magazine are aimed at people with a general background in acoustics, but might not be versed in the particular featured subject. Read about acoustics from any issue here.

Lay Language Papers

Lay language papers are short versions of papers and talks presented at Annual Meetings of the Acoustical Society of America. Please keep in mind that some of the research described in the lay papers may not have yet been peer reviewed. See all papers here.

Using Ultrasound to Detect Intracranial Hemorrhage

Actor Gary Coleman, actress Natasha Richardson, and famed nutritionist Dr. Robert Atkins all passed away from complications due to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unfortunately, these are not isolated cases; an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI in the United States every year [1]. We have developed a novel ultrasound device that has the potential to change the narrative, and prevent future stories like these from ending in similar tragedy.

Psychoacoustics of chalkboard squeaking

There are many different sounds that people perceive as unpleasant or that may cause physiological reactions, like chills down the spine. These sounds include scraping a plate with a fork, squeaking Styrofoam or scratching fingernails on a chalkboard. Sometimes simply imagining these sounds or actions may cause the corresponding perception or physiological reaction […]. The aim of our study was to detect specific features of the sounds responsible for the perceived unpleasantness.

Female North Atlantic Right Whales Produce Gunshot Sounds

North Atlantic right whales produce loud, broadband, short duration sounds referred to as gunshots. As the name depicts, these calls resemble the sound of a gun or rifle being fired.

Termite Head-Banging: Sounding the Alarm

When the Formosan subterranean termite (FST) (Coptotermes formosanus) and the native subterranean termite (RF) (Reticulitermes flavipes) detect a potential breach, the soldiers will usually bang their heads apparently to attract other soldiers for defense and to recruit additional workers to repair any breach.

Underwater Sounds Generated by the Great Sumatra Rupture

Most earthquakes that rupture below the ocean shake the seafloor, generating sounds that can travel through the water for thousands of kilometers.