–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
In this project, we created a lesson plan using Minecraft Education Edition to teach students about reverberation time (RT60) and material absorption. The goal was to make acoustic concepts more interactive and engaging by using a familiar game environment.
Screenshot of the Minecraft Education “Castle Tower” tutorial level or overview image of the project environment.
The experience begins with a “Castle Tower” tutorial level that introduces students to the variables used in the Sabine equation, which is commonly used to estimate reverberation time. After completing the tutorial, students enter a creative sandbox where they can build their own rooms and test how sound behaves inside them.
Full walkthrough video demonstrating the tutorial level, sandbox environment, room construction process, room scanning process, and RT60/audio simulation system.
Using custom MakeCode JavaScript, the system scans the room around the player to estimate its size and the materials used in its construction. The program then calculates an estimated RT60 value and generates a simulated sound decay that matches the room’s acoustic properties.
Different Minecraft building materials were assigned simplified absorption values. For example, carpet absorbs more sound than concrete. Students can experiment by changing room materials and immediately hearing how those changes affect the sound of the space.
larger room
smaller room
To use the system, students build a rectangular room, stand in the center, and run the “roomtest” command. The game then calculates the RT60 and plays a sound with a matching decay tail, allowing students to hear how the room responds acoustically.
This project demonstrates how Minecraft Education Edition can be used as a creative tool for teaching acoustic physics. By combining interactive building mechanics with real-time calculations and audio feedback, students are able to visualize, calculate, and hear how room acoustics work in a hands-on way.
Resolut Group 181 E 5600 S, Suite 200 Murray, UT, 84123
Popular version of 2pAAa6 – Measurement-informed orientation of an amphitheater surrounded by natural rock formations using in-situ impulse response analysis. Presented at the 190th ASA Meeting Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING2026
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
A venue’s beauty may draw guests in, but the acoustic experience is what brings them back.
When attending a symphony, the first desired experience is to hear and appreciate music. Musical quality is important for design aspects of an outdoor amphitheater, especially when the design is impacted by large, natural rock formations. Maxwell Park in Hilldale, UT contains several striking, extraordinary features that naturally catch any eye. Although there’s beauty in this scenery, acoustic tests were needed to help enhance the listening experience, i.e., find the best stage direction. Because of these colossal rocks, the way the stage faces can strongly change what the audience hears.
During predesign, two realistic stage orientations were compared: a stage on the north side facing south (Figures 1-3), and a stage on the east side facing west (Figures 4-6). The orientation matters because rocks are reflective and if reflections arrive at the audience at different times and from different directions, they can smear the sound and make music feel less clear. To find the best option, four types of tests were performed at each orientation: an impulse response test (to see when echoes arrive), a “chirp” test (to check how different pitches carry and whether they interfere), a real-time analysis (to see how evenly sound spreads across the audience area), and a music listening test (to hear the real-world result). The client team, including several city officials and the architect, was on-site during testing and though graphs, tables, and data analyses are useful, hearing the difference in-person made the greatest impression.
Figure 1: Northern Stage Design
Figure 2: Northern Stage Simulation
Figure 3: Southern Audience Area
Figure 4: Eastern Stage Design
Figure 5: Eastern Stage Simulation
Figure 6: Western Audience Area
From the north side, sound struck the nearby eastern rock face almost immediately and provided positive reinforcement for the direct sound. However, the sound reflecting off the western rock face arrived at a significant delay causing negative reinforcement which distorted the overall quality. Those repeated reflections, arriving at slightly different times, blurred the sound, made it harder to tell where the music was originating, and confused listeners. During the music listening test, the clients were so distracted that some initially assumed the sound equipment was the problem, calling it, “low quality”.
On the east side, the audience heard stronger direct sound, with only mild reflections from farther rock formations. Those reflections helped the sound feel full and supportive. During the music listening test, listeners described their experience as clear, impactful, more evenly heard across the area, and emotional to the music that was played. The same equipment and music were used for both orientations, but the natural rock formations from the eastern side had the greatest acoustic impact.
Measurements, figures, and charts help explain why one option performs better, but the shared, real-time listening experience made the difference. Based on that direct experience (supported by test results), the east-side stage orientation was the clear recommendation to, and accepted by, the client.
University of Tsukuba, Graduate School of Science and Technology Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan
Naoto Wakatsuki – Institute of System and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba Tadashi Ebihara – Information Engineering, Tsukuba Institute for Advanced Research, University of Tsukuba
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
What if anyone who dreamed of playing the oboe could pick up the instrument and shape the sound as easily as a professional musician?
For many players, one of the biggest challenges is not the instrument itself, but the reed. This small piece of material opens and closes hundreds of times per second as the player blows, producing the sound of the instrument. Its motion can change greatly depending on the material, humidity, shape, and contact with the player’s lips. These changes often frustrate players, because even small differences in the reed can strongly affect how easily the instrument responds and how stable the sound feels.
A Small Reed with a Big Role In recent years, artificial reeds made from polymer materials have become increasingly popular for double-reed instruments such as the oboe and bassoon. Compared with traditional cane reeds, which are made from natural plant material, polymer reeds are more durable and less sensitive to humidity. They may offer more stable playing conditions and may also help musicians who have allergies to cane. Despite these advantages, many players feel that polymer reeds and cane reeds do not respond or sound exactly the same. However, the physical motion behind this difference is not yet fully understood.
Watching Reeds Move in Slow Motion In this study, we observed the vibration of several types of polymer oboe reeds and compared them with a traditional cane reed. The reeds were tested using an artificial blowing system, which allowed us to blow air through the reed under controlled conditions. To see the fast reed motion, we used a stroboscope, a flashing light that can make rapid periodic motion appear slow. By synchronizing the strobe light with the vibration of the reed, we could observe the opening and closing motion as if it were in slow motion. This allowed us to examine how the reed opened during each vibration cycle, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Comparison of polymer and cane reeds using stroboscopic imaging. Differences in reed motion are visible during the opening phase.
To make the experiment closer to real playing conditions, we tested the reeds in two ways. First, we allowed the reed to vibrate freely. Second, we placed a small constraint near the reed tip to imitate the way a player’s lips touch the reed. This comparison helped us examine how lip contact changes the reed motion.
What Changed Between Polymer and Cane Reeds? The results showed clear differences between polymer and cane reeds when producing the note C5. When we added the lip-like constraint, the pitch and the opening width changed, but the basic opening and closing pattern remained similar. One particularly interesting result appears in Figure 2. The polymer reed showed three distinct peaks during the opening phase, while the cane reed showed only two. This difference suggests that the material of the reed may affect faster parts of the vibration. In other words, polymer and cane reeds may transmit high-frequency motion differently when they interact with the instrument.
Figure 2. Comparison of waveforms and frequency spectra for polymer and cane reeds. The polymer reed shows three peaks during the opening phase, while the cane reed shows two.
By directly observing reed vibration, this study shows that polymer and cane reeds can move in different ways even when they are used under similar blowing conditions. These findings may help explain why players feel a difference between reed materials. They may also guide the future design of more reliable polymer reeds, bringing players one step closer to an instrument that responds the way they expect.
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
A new standard for assessing pickleball noise has been developed to better reflect how people actually experience the sound, especially in neighborhoods near courts. The growing popularity of pickleball—and the rapid expansion of new courts—is creating a clear need for improved and simplified acoustical standards to avoid excessive noise in nearby residential areas. This proposed noise standard has already been successfully applied on multiple projects, including the evaluation of new courts planned near homes and the development of sound reduction solutions for existing courts.
Pickleball has a distinct “pop” when the paddle hits the ball, and that sharp, repetitive sound can be more noticeable and irritating than steady background noise.
Current standards based on average sound levels with a slow meter response tend to smooth out these sharp peaks and will understate the annoyance from pickleball. This new approach improves on those methods by focusing on the loudest, most noticeable moments of play.
It uses a sound level meter set to a fast response and maximum (peak) measurement, allowing it to capture the highest sound levels rather than averaging everything together. It also uses A-weighting (dBA) so that measurements reflect how the human ear perceives sound.
A key feature of the standard is how it accounts for existing background noise. First, the ambient sound level is measured using a slow, averaging setting. If that background sound is 47 dBA or lower, the limit for pickleball noise is set at 50 dBA (fast maximum). If the background sound is higher than 47 dBA, the allowable pickleball noise level increases to 3 dBA above the measured background level. This signal-to-noise approach ensures that pickleball sound does not stand out excessively compared to its surroundings as shown in the figure below.
Importantly, the standard does not prescribe specific noise control methods. Instead, it establishes a clear threshold above which sound is likely to become objectionable. This makes it a practical tool for both planning and enforcement. It can be used before construction to evaluate whether new courts will meet acceptable noise levels with or without mitigation measures, and it can also be applied to existing courts to assess and guide sound reduction efforts.
Another advantage is its simplicity and practicality. Unlike environmental standards that require 24-hour monitoring and complex averaging with adjustments, this method can be used quickly in the field by acoustical consultants, police officers, zoning officials, or community inspectors using standard sound level meters. By focusing on the most noticeable characteristics of pickleball noise, it provides a more accurate, realistic, and enforceable approach than current standards commonly used in community noise ordinances. This standard could be an addendum to an existing community noise ordinance to address pickleball noise.
Yosua W. Tedja – yosuatedja@gmail.com Lucky Tsaih, Veerin Udomsopakit, Khaing Thinzar, Sanh T. Diep, Shiang-I Juan Department of Architecture, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
Popular version of 4aNS7 – Beyond Odor Intensity: Assessing Sensory Congruence in the Restorative Soundscape of Beitou Thermal Valley Presented at the 190th ASA Meeting Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING2026
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
While a strong sulfur scent might seem like an unlikely ingredient for relaxation, it doesn’t ruin the soundscape at northern Taiwan’s Beitou Thermal Valley. In fact, visitors find the experience uniquely restorative because the distinctive smell perfectly matches the steaming vapor, milky green hot springs, and the steady rush of falling water.
Figure 1. Visitors gather at Beitou Thermal Valley as sulfur-rich steam rises from the geothermal pool. Image courtesy of the authors.
Video 1. Beitou Thermal Valley scenery and on-site visitor comments regarding the sulfur smell. Video courtesy of the authors.
Beitou Thermal Valley is one of Taiwan’s most famous hot spring landscapes. Its distinctive scent comes mainly from hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring gas. In an ordinary place, this smell might feel unpleasant. But in this geothermal valley, it becomes part of the site’s identity.
Figure 2. A close-up of Beitou Thermal Valley’s steaming, milky green geothermal water. The sulfur-rich hot spring water releases the distinctive smell that shapes visitors’ sensory experience at the site. Image courtesy of the authors.
To examine this experience, visitors were surveyed near the waterfall area locally known as Witch’s Rock Waterfall, as shown in Figure 3. In this open-air setting, the sulfur smell and waterfall sound occur together. The sound level was about 61.6 dBA, roughly similar to a busy restaurant, as heard in Video 2.
Figure 3. The Witch’s Rock Waterfall at Beitou Thermal Valley. Image courtesy of the authors.
Video 2. The sound environment at the waterfall zone measured about 62 decibels. It is not quiet, but not overwhelming either, roughly the volume of a busy restaurant. Video courtesy of the authors.
The findings were clear: a stronger sulfur scent did not equate to a worse sound experience. Most visitors still evaluated the soundscape positively, proving that sensory harmony matters most. When the distinct smell, ambient sound, rising steam, and visual landscape felt connected, the environment became highly restorative.
For public-space design, this offers a valuable lesson: comfort does not always come from removing every strong sensation. At Beitou Thermal Valley, the sulfur odor is not a flaw; it is an essential part of the place. This study proves that nature’s best remedy doesn’t always rely on complete silence and floral breezes. Sometimes, true relaxation comes from steam, a sulfur scent, and the steady roar of falling water, perfectly aligned to tell the same sensory story.
Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72204, United States
Andrew B Wright
Popular version of 5aAA6 – A Small Reverberation Chamber to Measure Sound Transmission Loss in 3D-Printed Structures
Presented at the 190th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://eppro01.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING2026
–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–
Imagine a team of small robots moving through a warehouse, using sound to sense and communicate. The components that control noise in these systems are often around the size of your hand. Yet testing how well these small parts block sound can require a room-sized setup.
While this may sound excessive, it reflects how sound-blocking performance is commonly measured today. The ability of a material to block sound is quantified using Sound Transmission Loss (STL), which is typically evaluated using standardized methods such as the reverberation room and impedance tube.
The reverberation room method requires a large room (>50 m³) to measure the STL of a large sample (approx. 2.4 m). To illustrate this, consider heating a sandwich using an entire room instead of a microwave. Modern 3D printing technology enables the inexpensive production of many designs, but these structures are typically small (approx. 0.02 m³). For such small samples, the reverberation room method cannot be applied directly. One possible workaround is to combine multiple small samples into a larger one, similar to assembling many small sandwiches into one large sandwich. However, this approach is cumbersome, time-consuming, and expensive.
The other impedance tube method can measure the STL of small samples, but only for sound waves that strike the sample perpendicularly. Using the earlier analogy, this is similar to heating a sandwich with a torch from only one direction rather than heating it evenly from all sides.
While both standardized methods are useful, they have limitations when applied to small structures. This research presents the design and validation of a novel small reverberation chamber (0.49 m³, see Figure 1). In the earlier analogy, this chamber functions like a microwave, efficient and suited to the size of the sample.
In this setup (see Figure 2), the STL offered by the small sample is measured using a sound input and corresponding waveforms recorded through microphones. A customized programming script developed in this research performs mathematical analysis on the waveform, and the STL is calculated.
Figure 2: Experimental Setup Example
The effectiveness of the chamber is validated by comparing the STL of two known materials against values measured using this system. The observed measurement error was low (±2.75 dB). Although this does not meet ASTM standard’s specifications (±2 dB), it is sufficient as an inexpensive solution for rapid STL characterization. Finally, the STL of four 3D-printed specimens was evaluated under different infills (50% and 100%) and material combinations (PLA, ABS, PLA+TPU, ABS+TPU) across various frequencies.
As modern designs continue to shrink, from small robotic systems to everyday devices, the ability to evaluate sound performance at the same scale becomes essential. The proposed small reverberation chamber enables this shift by allowing compact, noise-controlling components to be tested as they are actually used, supporting more effective noise-reducing designs.
Figure 1: 
Figure 2: Experimental Setup Example