Sound(e)scape: Can a Sonic Break Improve Cognitive Performance?

Alaa Algargoosh – algargoosh@vt.edu

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Perry St, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, United States

Megan Wysocki
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)

Amneh Hamida
RWTH Aachen University.

Popular version of 1pNSa4 – Cognitive Restoration in Virtual Interactions with Indoor Acoustic Environments
Presented at the 189th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0040100

–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–

People often associate restorative experiences with nature: the sound of birds, wind, or flowing water. But what if indoor spaces could offer their own kind of mental escape, not through what we see, but through how we interact with sound?

This idea began with a simple observation. When you walk into a space and notice how your footsteps and voice are reflected back to you, the echoes create a subtle sense of awe. According to Attention Restoration Theory, experiences that evoke fascination and effortless engagement can help replenish mental resources. We wanted to explore whether these moments of acoustic interaction between a person and a space could invite gentle attention and, in turn, support cognitive restoration. In Attention Restoration Theory, this is referred to as soft fascination, a type of stimulus that is engaging but not overwhelming.

Exploring Echoes as a Path to Mental Restoration:
During a live demonstration at the MIT Museum, we used auralization a technology that allows you to hear your voice as if you were in a different place using that place’s sound signature or impulse response. A volunteer hummed into the acoustic signature of Hagia Sophia. Later, the entire audience hummed together and reflected on their experiences. The conversation pointed to the potential of such acoustic interaction to support a meditative state by impacting sense of space, time, and self.

This inspired a controlled experiment to study the restorative potential of indoor acoustic environments. We asked people to experience different sound environments (Figure 1) and measure their cognitive activity before and after each interaction. Early results suggest that interactive acoustics may support attention restoration depending on the acoustic characteristics, opening a new way of thinking about how sound affects us indoors.

Figure 1: Virtual interaction with an acoustic environment during the experiment, where a person hears their own voice transformed through the acoustic signature of another space.

Why does this matter?
We spend most of our time indoors, yet discussions of restorative environments often focus on natural settings. This is especially relevant for workplaces and schools, where mental fatigue is common. It may also hold meaningful promise for neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD, who often benefit from environments that support attention without overstimulating it.
We imagine applications in immersive restorative spaces where people can interact with sound to reset and return to their activities with greater clarity. We also envision subtle integration into transitional spaces such as staircases, corridors, and building entrances that provide gentle cognitive relief as people move throughout their day.

Sound(e)scape reframes acoustics not as background, but as a tool for well-being. By understanding how interactive sound shapes attention and cognition, we can design buildings that do not simply avoid harmful noise. They can actively help the mind take a restorative break.

Figure 2: Visualization of interacting with different acoustic environments. Left: Max Addae vocalizing in an office environment (MIT Media Lab). Middle: “Hagia Sophia – Muhammad, Allah, Abu Bakr” by Rabe!, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hagia_Sophia_-_Muhammad,_Allah,_Abu_Bakr.jpg) Cropped and one person (Max Addae) added by Alaa Algargoosh. Right: Max Addae vocalizing in Boston Symphony Hall.

Sound recordings:
1. Vocalizing in an office environment (MIT Media Lab). (Voice: Max Addae)
2. Virtual vocalization in Hagia Sophia. (Voice: Max Addae)
3. Virtual vocalization in Boston Symphony Hall. (Voice: Max Addae)
The virtual vocalizations were generated using the impulse responses available at ODEON software library.

Acoustics of Korean Traditional Architecture: A Case Study of Magoksa Temple

Sungjoon Kim – sungjoon.kim@kaist.ac.kr

Instagram: @jooon.kim
291, Daehak-ro, N25, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea

Popular version of 1aAA2 – Acoustical characteristics of Korean traditional architecture for virtual heritage reconstruction: A case study of Magoksa temple
Presented at the 189th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0039987

–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–

Western churches typically evoke the impression of long, reverberant echoes. This acoustic quality is largely influenced by their domed ceilings and stone construction, which amplify and sustain sound. A single note from an organ or choir can travel far and linger in the air, creating a bright and grand sound field.

In contrast, Asian temples often have acoustic characteristics that differ significantly from those of Western churches. In particular, traditional Korean temples have a soft and warm sound environment. Their structures are primarily composed of wood, soil, and paper, reflecting Korea’s architectural philosophy of harmony with nature and the surrounding landscape. Instead of a strong, ringing echo, the listener experiences a gentle and intimate atmosphere.

Our study explores the acoustic characteristics of Magoksa Temple in South Korea, a Buddhist temple complex whose main halls date back to the 17th century. We measured the reverberation and other acoustic properties of three main temple halls and analyzed how sound behaves in these wooden spaces. The goal of this study is to understand these unique sound behaviors and to consider how they can be recreated when digitally restoring historical sites in virtual reality content and other media.

Figure 1: Main worship hall (Daegwangbojeon) of Magoksa Temple and surrounding courtyard.

To carry out the measurements, we played test signals through a loudspeaker and recorded the responses using microphones, including a three-dimensional (3D) microphone array. These room impulse responses capture the “acoustic fingerprint” of each hall: how long sound lasts, which frequency bands are emphasized or reduced, and how sound energy arrives from different directions around a listener.

Figure 2: Acoustic measurement setup inside a temple hall with a loudspeaker and 3D microphone array.

We found that all three temple halls share two distinctive features:

  1. Strong low-frequency resonance – Deep sounds, such as drums or low chanting, tend to linger longer than higher-pitched sounds. One important reason is structural: the floors are hollow beneath the wooden planks, and this cavity reinforces low-frequency energy, similar to the body of a musical instrument.
  2. High-frequency absorption – Soft materials such as paper doors, soil walls, and exposed wood absorb much of the high-frequency content. This reduces sharp reflections and makes the space sound calm and close, rather than bright or very echoey like a stone cathedral.
Figure 3: Frequency responses of the three main halls at Magoksa Temple.

Using the 3D microphone array, we also examined spatial characteristics, such as which parts of the structure (floor, ceiling, or side walls) create the most prominent reflections, and how sound surrounds a seated listener. These results help us understand more deeply how traditional Korean temples use their wooden structures and natural materials to create such distinctive acoustics.

Understanding these sound patterns helps us preserve more than just the visual beauty of cultural heritage—it allows us to capture the aural identity of a place. By integrating these findings into digital reconstructions and virtual reality experiences, we can make presentations of traditional Korean architecture feel more realistic and immersive, allowing future generations not only to see history but also to hear it.

Sound Insulation Tiles at School Help Calm Crying Children #ASA188

Sound Insulation Tiles at School Help Calm Crying Children #ASA188

Studying effects of sound absorption on classroom noise levels can help inspire regulations in Japan.

Media Contact:
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

NEW ORLEANS, May 23, 2025 – When children are dropped off at a school or day care for the first time, there can be a lot of feelings and sometimes meltdowns caused by being separated from parents, meeting new people, and hearing new noises. Could the architecture of the room help to soothe at least some of the children’s concerns?

“Classrooms without any sound absorption are the majority in Japan,” said Ikuri Matsuoka, a master’s student at Kumamoto University in Japan. “My motivation was to make people aware of the importance of acoustics in classrooms because in Japan, there are no standards or guidelines for acoustic design of preschool and school classrooms.”

Children in the process of developing language and speech can have a hard time listening, and so a classroom with lots of noise and reverberation can disturb communication and cause them to talk louder.

“We expect that preschool children entering school for the first time normally feel stressed by the difficulty of verbal communication,” Matsuoka said. “Therefore, this study examined whether sound absorption could mitigate such adverse effects.”

Sound Insulation

A classroom in Japan with polyester fiberboard tiles on the ceiling to promote sound absorption. Credit: Ikuri Matsuoka

To test the effect of sound absorption on children’s noise, Matsuoka installed polyester fiberboard, a type of sound-absorbing material, onto one classroom’s ceiling and compared it to another without any.

Matsuoka will present their findings Friday, May 23, at 1:40 p.m. CT as part of the joint 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics, running May 18-23.

Matsuoka analyzed the indoor activities using video and audio to determine noise levels and the number of times the children cried. After six months, Matsuoka found that children were louder in the room without the insulation.

“During the experiment, I interviewed the four teachers in the four classes several times,” Matsuoka said. “Three of the four teachers answered that they felt the reverberation had changed, and one of them, a veteran teacher with 25 years of experience, answered that she felt clearly more comfortable talking to the children.”

To complement their results, Matsuoka and their professor also used artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze the data automatically. They used an acoustic event detection method to identify children’s crying instead of manually scrubbing through the data. This work will also be presented during a session on “Materials for Sound Absorption, Diffusion, and Transmission Loss” on Friday, May 23, at 1:00 p.m. CT.

“We expect that machine learning will be necessary for long-term observations,” Matsuoka said. “From our research, we hope that those involved in both the child care and architectural fields recognize how important it is to have reduced reverberation that mitigate noisy atmosphere and promote clear verbal communication for children.”

——————— MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/new-orleans-2025/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAICA25

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting and/or press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR ACOUSTICS
The purpose of the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA) is to promote international development and collaboration in all fields of acoustics including research, development, education, and standardization. ICA’s mission is to be the reference point for the acoustic community, becoming more inclusive and proactive in our global outreach, increasing coordination and support for the growing international interest and activity in acoustics. Learn more at https://www.icacommission.org/.

Re-Creating the Sounds of an Underground City #ASA188

Re-Creating the Sounds of an Underground City #ASA188

Simulating the soundscape of an ancient city can provide useful historical information for scholars.

Media Contact:
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

NEW ORLEANS, May 21, 2025 – Have you ever walked through the ruins of an ancient city and wondered what life sounded like back then? So has Sezin Nas, a researcher of interior architecture and acoustics at Istanbul Galata University.

The ancient, underground city of Derinkuyu caught Nas’s eye early on. Located in modern-day Turkey, Derinkuyu was built underground to defend against invasion, protect its citizens from harsh weather, and safely store agricultural products. At its peak, it could hold up to 20,000 people. The city spanned seven levels underground, with four main ventilation channels and over 50,000 other smaller shafts

“There is a notable gap in the literature regarding the acoustic environment and soundscape of underground cities,” Nas said. “Studying the Derinkuyu underground city aimed to contribute both to the preservation of cultural heritage and to provide data that could inform the design of future underground urban spaces.”

underground

A collection of images from the underground tunnels of Derinkuyu. Credit: Sezin Nas

“The integration of ventilation and communication functions within the same architectural elements is considered one of Derinkuyu’s most unique features,” Nas said. “This multifunctional use of the ventilation system strongly highlights the exceptional construction process of the site and plays a central role in shaping its soundscape.”

To re-create the ancient soundscape, Nas studied both the history of the city as well as its architecture. She analyzed three types of spaces — a church, a living area, and a kitchen. The room functions, sources of sounds, and even reverberations were considered when creating a 3D virtual soundscape that will eventually allow a listener to experience the sounds of the city.

Nas will present work on the soundscape of the ancient city of Derinkuyu on Wednesday, May 21, at 11:20 a.m. CT as part of the joint 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics, running May 18-23.

“Derinkuyu underground city is considered an interior environment on an urban scale, which distinguishes it from the open-space urban soundscapes,” Nas said. “Listening to the reconstructed soundscape provides insights into how sound influenced spatial experience, communication practices, and social organization within the underground city.”

Nas said Derinkuyu’s soundscape can inspire the design of future underground urban spaces. She hopes that, in general, soundscapes will be used in the future as systematic tools for studying history.

“This research also highlights the role of historical sound environments as an important and often overlooked component of cultural heritage,” Nas said.

——————— MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/new-orleans-2025/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAICA25

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting and/or press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR ACOUSTICS
The purpose of the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA) is to promote international development and collaboration in all fields of acoustics including research, development, education, and standardization. ICA’s mission is to be the reference point for the acoustic community, becoming more inclusive and proactive in our global outreach, increasing coordination and support for the growing international interest and activity in acoustics. Learn more at https://www.icacommission.org/.

Helping Noisy Data Centers Fit Into Residential Neighborhoods #ASA188

Helping Noisy Data Centers Fit Into Residential Neighborhoods #ASA188

Noise ordinances can protect residents and guide developers toward quieter designs.

Media Contact:
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

NEW ORLEANS, May 19, 2025 – The past few years have seen an explosion in data centers built across the country, as developers try to keep up with demand created by artificial intelligence, cloud storage, and e-commerce. Many of these data centers are being built near residential areas, and the people who live there keep complaining about the noise.

Gregory Miller and his colleagues at Trinity Consultants will present their work on noise control strategies for data centers on Monday, May 19, at 8:05 a.m. CT as part of the joint 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics, running May 18-23.

Data Centers

NSA data center (seen from Freedom Ridge) 4, Bluffdale, Utah, USA. Credit: Cory Doctorow, CC by S-A

A key protection communities have from excessive noise is a well-crafted noise code. Local governments can pass laws or regulations limiting the amount of noise facilities like data centers can produce, along with more detailed rules regarding the types of noise, how often those noises occur, and how far away that noise can be perceived. Unfortunately, many jurisdictions lack detailed noise ordinances for data centers.

“Over the course of our work on noise control for data centers, one of the greatest challenges we kept facing was the lack of reliable noise codes that our clients could use, with conflicting noise requirements between local, county, and state authorities,” said Miller.

The absence of explicit noise ordinances means residents cannot be protected from extreme noise and developers have no clear guidance when designing new data centers. This problem is exacerbated by the addition of dedicated power plants and transformer stations.

“Having exhausted many of the sites that readily have enough power to run a data center, many new data centers are accompanied by power generation stations,” said Miller. “In many cases, the power generation is at least as noisy — if not noisier — than the data center it serves.”

To help develop proper guidance, Miller and his colleagues identified many of the worst sources of data center noise, along with the most effective means of controlling that noise. Some of the potential solutions include sound barriers, thick walls around power plants, and low-frequency resonators on some of the biggest sources of noise.

During the conference, Miller will also discuss his team’s efforts to help both data center developers and residential communities find solutions that work.

“We are continuing to work with data center developers on strategies for interacting with communities and demonstrating their interest in being reliable neighbors,” said Miller. “We are also working with communities to try to help them understand the types of information they need to develop robust noise ordinances.”

By encouraging a spirit of collaboration between both groups, Miller hopes that everyone can benefit from a quieter breed of data center.

“Ultimately, we want to help foster an environment in which residents are protected from excessive noise, and in which developers can reliably build new data centers within parameters that are reliable and reasonable,” said Miller.

——————— MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/new-orleans-2025/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAICA25

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are summaries (300-500 words) of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting and/or press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR ACOUSTICS
The purpose of the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA) is to promote international development and collaboration in all fields of acoustics including research, development, education, and standardization. ICA’s mission is to be the reference point for the acoustic community, becoming more inclusive and proactive in our global outreach, increasing coordination and support for the growing international interest and activity in acoustics. Learn more at https://www.icacommission.org/.

Designing Museum Spaces That Sound as Good as They Look

Milena Jonas Bem – jonasm@rpi.edu
School of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Greene Bldg, 110 8th St
Troy, NY 12180
United States

Popular version of 2pAAa7 – Acoustic Design in Contemporary Museums: Balancing Architectural Aesthetics and Auditory Experience
Presented at the 188th ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0037653

–The research described in this Acoustics Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed–

Museums are designed to dazzle the eyes but often fail the ears. Imagine standing in a stunning gallery with high ceilings and gleaming floors, only to struggle to hear the tour guide over the echoes. Later, you pause before a painting, hoping for quiet reflection, but you get distracted by nearby chatter. Our research shows how simple design choices, like swapping concrete floors for carpet or adding acoustic ceilings, can transform visitor experiences by improving the acoustic environment.

The Acoustic Challenge in Museums
Contemporary museums often embrace a “white box” aesthetic, where minimalist architecture puts art center stage. Usually, this approach relies on hard, highly reflective finishes like glass, concrete, and masonry, paired with high ceilings and open‐plan layouts. While visually striking, these designs rarely account for their acoustic side effects, creating echo chambers that distract from the art they’re meant to highlight.

Testing “What if?” in Real Galleries

museum gallery

Figure 1. Room-impulse-response measurement in progress: a dodecahedral loudspeaker (left) emits test signals while a microphone records the gallery’s acoustic “fingerprint.” Photo: Aleksandr Tsurupa

To solve this, we visited museum rooms, recording how sound traveled in each space, like capturing an “acoustic fingerprint”, which we name room impulse response. Using these recordings, we built virtual models to test how different materials (e.g., carpet vs. concrete) changed the sound in the space. We evaluated three levels of sound absorption (low, medium, and high) on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Then we evaluated how these choices affected key acoustics metrics, including how long sound lingers (reverberation time, or RT), how intelligible speech is (Speech Transmission Index, or STI), and how far away you can still understand a conversation clearly (distraction distance).

Key Findings

1. More Absorption Always Helps: Our first big finding is that adding more absorption always helps—no exceptions. Increasing from low→medium→high absorption consistently: cut reverberation in half or more, boosted speech clarity by 0.05–0.10 STI points, and made speech level drop faster with distance (good for privacy).

2. Placement Matters: where you put that absorption makes a practical difference:

    • Floors yield the single biggest improvement, swapping concrete for carpet cuts reverberation by 1.8 seconds. However, it does not always guarantee meeting ideal results; supplemental ceiling or wall treatments may still be needed to hit ideal RT, clarity, and privacy levels.
    • Ceilings delivered the largest jumps in STI and clarity, showing the greatest overall increase in distraction distance and better sound attenuation. So, going from a fully reflective ceiling to wood and then microperforated ceiling panels is compelling for intelligibility.
    • Walls emerged as the ultimate privacy tool. Only high-absorption plaster walls drove conversation levels at 4 m below 52 dB and created the steepest drop-off, perfect for whisper-quiet exhibits or multimedia spaces.

3. A Simple STI‐Prediction Shortcut: Measuring speech intelligibility typically requires specialized equipment and complex calculations. We distilled our data into a simple formula to predict STI using just a room’s volume and total absorption—no advanced math required (STI ranges from 0–1; closer to 1 = perfect intelligibility).

Figure 2. Predicted Speech Transmission Index (STI) across room volume and total absorption area. Warm colors indicate higher STI in smaller, highly absorptive spaces; cool colors indicate lower STI in large, reflective rooms. The overlaid equation estimates STI from volume, absorption, and reverberation time. Source: Authors

Hear the Difference: Auralizations from Williams College Museum
Below is one of the rooms that was used as a case study (Figure 3). Using auralizations (audio simulations that let you “hear” a space before it’s built), you can experience these changes yourself. Click each scenario below to hear the differences!

Figure 3. Museum gallery (photo) and its calibrated 3D model. The highlighted gallery “W1” served as a case study for virtually swapping floor, wall, and ceiling finishes to predict acoustic outcomes. Source: Authors

Note: Weighted absorption coefficient (αw): varies from 0 to 1, higher = more sound absorbed.

Floor:

Wall:

Ceiling:

The takeaway?
Start with sound-absorbing floors to reduce echoes, add ceiling panels to sharpen speech, and use high-performance walls where privacy matters most. These steps do not require sacrificing aesthetics—materials like sleek microperforated wood or acoustic plaster blend seamlessly into designs. By considering acoustics early, designers can create museums that are as comfortable to hear as they are to see.