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Speakers bring quiet to city living - 18th September 2020

Researchers in Singapore have invented a way to help urban residents find peace and quiet.

The system functions similar to noise cancelling headphones. When 24 small speakers are placed on the metal grill, it creates an acoustic shield over an open window.

When noise is detected, the speakers transmit a sound to deaden part of the noise. The system still allows light and fresh air to pass though the window. It reduces noise levels by up to 10 decibels.

Professor Gan Woon Seng is an audio engineer. He explains that we can’t block out sound completely.

Professor: "OK, also, with the cacophonies of all this urban noise, we are not going to cancel all sorts of noise. Instead, we have a targeted approach. We are basically going after the low frequency noise coming from the traffic and the train noise."

The World Health Organisation has identified many health concerns worsened by noise. Serious among these are heart disease, hearing difficulties and high blood pressure. Researchers are hoping people’s health will benefit from these windows.