This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project seeks to develop an inexpensive, multi-purpose active noise reduction (ANR) module and associated software evaluation tools with broad commercial application to many occupational environments. This project will develop signal processing algorithms that improve the computational efficiency for ANR. The current Phase II objectives include: (1) developing a multi-purpose ANR module and associated ANR software modules capable of single- and multi-channel ANR for two markets: "quiet zone" ANR in commercial vehicle cabins and active noise abatement products for the noise consulting industry; (2) developing a corresponding suite of software tools to be used by noise consultants for turnkey retrofits of noisy environments with active noise abatement products, and (3) conducting full-scale in-situ evaluation of the ANR module, software, and tool suite in demonstration projects with the support of commercialization partners. The expected technical outcomes of Phase II include: (1) a manufacture-ready ANR hardware module with associated modular ANR software, (2) a suite of ANR evaluation tools for the noise consulting industry, validated through in-situ testing and (3) experimental results of the modular ANR concept from several full-scale demonstration projects.
The strong pull for new noise control technologies is the result of increasingly strict government and community regulations, industry standards, the growing body of scientific evidence of on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and the multimillion dollar cost of occupational hearing disability compensation. The current business model is based on partnerships in which the proprietary 'Plug-and-Play' ANR module represents a branded embedded component for products manufactured and marketed by other industrial organizations and for installations by acoustical consultants.
