Tapping Excess Heat from a Camp Stove for Charging Power #ASA187

Research highlights the potential of using excess heat for new outdoor power sources.

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

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 20, 2024 – While camping is a great opportunity to unplug and connect with nature, it’s hard not to rely on some sort of technology—cellphones, radios, lanterns, and portable chargers are all useful tools to bring along while exploring the wilderness. Research by Lixian Guo at the University of Canterbury may make it possible to keep all those devices powered with another piece of equipment you’re likely to bring with you while exploring the great outdoors: camping stoves.

Guo’s work focuses on using the excess heat produced by camping stoves to create a thermoacoustic engine (TAE). TAEs convert thermal energy into acoustic energy. This acoustic energy can then be transformed into mechanical or electrical energy. When optimized, these engines can generate power ranging from tens to thousands of watts, depending on their size.

A diagram of the thermoacoustic engine proposed in Guo’s research. Credit: Lixian Guo

Guo will present work on a mathematical model of a portable outdoor waste heat-driven engine Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 10:40 a.m., ET as part of the virtual 187th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, running Nov. 18-22, 2024.

The researchers’ work includes simulations and analyses of experimental data from waste heat produced by common camping gas stoves, aiming to design a compact outdoor TAE capable of efficiently collecting waste heat.

Guo has emphasized the versatility of this technology.

“We have considered its potential for camping, backpacking, and emergency situations, as it can operate with any heat source, including residual heat from combustion or solar energy.”

The ultimate aim of this research is to establish a foundation for more efficient energy conversion devices, with significant applications in aviation, marine engineering, and industrial waste heat recovery. By effectively harnessing waste heat, TAEs can play a vital role in promoting sustainable energy practices across different sectors.

Guo acknowledges the challenges inherent in this research but views it as a chance to expand upon their work.

“Naturally, there are challenges in this research, particularly concerning stability and energy loss. These challenges also present opportunities for deeper exploration.”

As researchers continue to refine thermoacoustic technology, the implications for energy efficiency and sustainability are profound, offering exciting possibilities for the future.

“In the 1990s, the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States conducted many fascinating studies on thermoacoustic engines, using them to recover waste heat from ships to power refrigeration systems for storing ice cream. I hope my research can lay the foundation for the development of more efficient energy conversion devices in the future,” Guo said.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-virtual-fall-2024/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL24

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 virtual 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/.

Listening for Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease #ASA187

In-ear microphones could monitor sounds of eye movements for neurological decay.

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

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2024 – Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 50 million people worldwide, often devastating both the individuals who have it and their families and loved ones. It has no known cure, and the slow, progressive nature of the disease makes early diagnosis difficult.

Researchers from École de Technologie Supérieure and Dartmouth University are investigating the use of earpiece microphones to spot early signs of Alzheimer’s. Miriam Boutros will present their work on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 4:15 p.m. ET, as part of the virtual 187th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, running Nov. 18-22, 2024.

People with Alzheimer’s exhibit a loss of motor control along with cognitive decline. One of the earliest signs of this decay can be spotted in involuntary eye movements known as saccades. These quick twitches of the eyes in Alzheimer’s patients are often slower, less accurate, or delayed compared to those in healthy individuals.

The researchers will track abnormal saccades, an early sign of Alzheimer’s, using both eye-tracking technology and in-ear hearables. Credit: Boutros et al.

“Eye movements are fascinating since they are some of the most rapid and precise movements in the human body, thus they rely on both excellent motor skills and cognitive functioning,” said researcher Arian Shamei.

Detecting and analyzing saccades directly requires a patient to be monitored by eye-tracking equipment, which is not easily accessible for most people. Boutros and her colleagues are exploring an alternative method using a more ubiquitous and less intrusive technology: earpiece microphones. This research is led by Rachel Bouserhal at the Research in Hearing Health and Assistive Devices (RHAD) Laboratory at École de Technologie Supérieure and Chris Niemczak at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University.

“We are using a device called a hearable,” said Boutros. “It is an earpiece with in-ear microphones that captures physiological signals from the body. Our goal is to develop health-monitoring algorithms for hearables, capable of continuous, long-term monitoring and early disease detection.”

Eye movements, including saccades, cause eardrum vibrations that can be picked up by sensitive microphones located within the ear. The researchers are conducting experiments with volunteers, giving them both hearables and conventional eye trackers. Their goal is to identify signals corresponding to saccades, and to differentiate between healthy signals and others that are indicative of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s.

They hope one day their research will lead to devices that can perform noninvasive continuous monitoring for Alzheimer’s along with other neurological diseases.

“While the current project is focused on long-term monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease, eventually, we would like to tackle other diseases and be able to differentiate between them based on symptoms that can be tracked through in-ear signals,” said Shamei.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-virtual-fall-2024/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL24

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 virtual 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/.

Ouch! Commonalties Found in Pain Vocalizations and Interjections Across Cultures

Study investigates vocalizations and interjections for pain, joy, and disgust across 131 languages.

Vowel density maps reveal that distinct vowel spaces for vocalizations of pain, disgust, and joy remain consistent across languages. Credit: Ponsonnet et al.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2024 – There are an estimated 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, each offering unique ways to express human emotion. But do certain emotions show regularities in their vocal expression across languages?

In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, an interdisciplinary team of linguists and bioacousticians led by Maïa Ponsonnet, Katarzyna Pisanski, and Christophe Coupé explored this by… click to read more

From: JASA
Article: Vowel signatures in emotional interjections and nonlinguistic vocalizations expressing pain, disgust and joy across languages
DOI: 10.1121/10.0032454

ASA Press Conference Schedule for Monday, Nov. 18 #ASA187

Media are invited to join virtual press conferences for presentations on dinosaur acoustics, using camp stove waste for new outdoor power sources, predicting Alzheimer’s with in-ear microphones, and more.

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

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 7, 2024 – The Acoustical Society of America will host two virtual press conferences Monday, Nov. 18. ASA’s 187th meeting will be held online, and reporters are invited to join technical sessions Nov. 19-21.

Press conference topics will focus on a wide range of newsworthy sessions from the upcoming virtual meeting. Featured sessions include using acoustics to preserve precious frescoes, the effect of pipe organs on concert halls, and a discussion about mysterious whale deaths near the Jersey Shore.

Press releases for a selection of topics will be shared under embargo the week of Nov. 11 and conference highlights can be found on social media by searching the #ASA187 hashtag.

To register for virtual press conferences or sessions, email media@aip.org. Video recordings of the press conference sessions will be available upon request.

ASA187 Press Conference Schedule – Monday, Nov. 18, 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. ET
Learn more about all meeting sessions via ASA’s meeting page and the technical program.
(topics/times subject to change)

Monday, Nov. 18, 11:00 a.m. ET

The Unsolved Mystery Sounds of the Southern Ocean – Ross Chapman, University of Victoria
Session 3aAO1: Bio-Duck and Bio-Goose: Mysterious Sounds from the Southern Oceans, Thursday, Nov. 21, 10:05 a.m. ET
Exploring the Impact of Offshore Wind on Whale Deaths – Michael Stocker, Ocean Conservation Research
Session 3pAB3: Are offshore windfarms killing whales? Thursday, Nov. 21, 3:29 p.m. ET
From Traditional to Technological: Advancements in Fresco Conservation – Nicholas Gangemi, The Catholic University of America
Session 3aPA5: Knock-Knock, Who’s there? Fresco, Thursday, Nov. 21, 11:25 a.m. ET
Hear This! Transforming Healthcare with Speech-to-Text Technology – Bozena Kostek, Gdańsk University of Technology
Session 3pSP3: Enunciation – an important factor in speech-to-text medical transcription systems, Thursday, Nov. 21, 3:25 p.m. ET

Monday, Nov. 18, 3:30 p.m. ET

Listening for Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease – Miriam Boutros, École de technologie supérieure
Session 1pPP8: Towards the Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease through Eye Movement Changes using a Hearable, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 4:15 p.m. ET
Tapping Excess Heat from a Camp Stove for Charging Power – Lixian Guo, University of Canterbu
Session 2aEA5: Numerical Investigations on a Portable Outdoor Waste Heat-driven Standing-wave Thermoacoustic Engine, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 10:40 a.m. ET
The Parasaurolophus’ Pipes: Modeling the Dinosaur’s Crest to Study its Sound – Hongjun Lin, NYU
Session 3pSA7: Acoustic Characteristics of Parasaurolophus Crest: Experimental Results from a Physical Model, Thursday, Nov. 21, 4:30 p.m. ET
Do Pipe Organs Create an Auto-tune Effect? – Ashley Snow, University of Washington
Session 2aMU5: Sympathetic resonance of the pipe organ and its effects on concert hall acoustics, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 11:00 a.m. ET

——————— MORE MEETING INFORMATION ——————–

Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-virtual-fall-2024/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL24

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 in-person meeting or virtual 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/.

ASA Invites Media to Virtual Acoustics Meeting Nov. 18-22

Virtual sessions and press conferences highlight latest advancements in science of sound #ASA187

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

MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 17, 2024 – The Acoustical Society of America is hosting a virtual meeting Nov. 18-22. Journalists are invited to virtually attend press conferences on Monday, Nov. 18 and attend technical sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

This scientific conference brings together interdisciplinary groups of acoustics professionals, spanning many fields, including physics, medicine, and music, to discuss the latest advancements. From dinosaurs to pipe organs, the virtual conference will cover a wide range of topics. Experts will present recent work on important research including Alzheimer’s disease detection, generating electricity from waste heat, a discussion about windfarms and wildlife, and much more. Conference highlights can be found on social media by searching the #ASA187 hashtag.

More details will be announced in the coming weeks. Media may pre-register by emailing media@aip.org.

——————— SAMPLING OF INTERESTING SESSIONS ——————–

1pPP8 – Towards the Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease through Eye Movement Changes using a Hearable

2aEA5 – Numerical Investigations on a Portable Outdoor Waste Heat-driven Standing-wave Thermoacoustic Engine

2aMU5 – Sympathetic Resonance of the Pipe Organ and its Effects on Concert Hall Acoustics

3aAO1- Bio-Duck and Bio-Goose: Mysterious Sounds from the Southern Oceans

3pAB4 – Are Offshore Windfarms Killing Whales?

3pSA7- Acoustic Characteristics of Parasaurolophus Crest: Experimental Results from a Physical Model

3pSP3 – Enunciation – an Important Factor in Speech-to-Text Medical Transcription Systems

——————— MORE MEETING INFORMATION ——————–

Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-virtual-fall-2024/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/src/EventPilot/php/express/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL24

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 in-person meeting or virtual 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/.

D. Keith Wilson Selected as Next Acoustics Today Editor

Melville, May 31, 2024 – The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is pleased to announce that D. Keith Wilson will be stepping into the role of Editor of Acoustics Today (AT), the science and technology magazine of the ASA, starting in 2025. For the past ten years, Arthur N. Popper has held the position.

This role will not be Dr. Wilson’s first leadership position within ASA Publications: he was the Editor of JASA Express Letters from 2005 to 2009 and the chairperson of the Committee on Publication Policy from 2011 to 2018. Currently, he acts as an Associate Editor for The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) and JASA Express Letters.

In addition to his involvement with ASA Publications, Dr. Wilson has been an active member in the society and was elected as a Fellow of the Society in 2003. He has been involved with both the Physical Acoustics and Noise Technical Committees and helped create the Computational Acoustics Technical Committee.

The ASA welcomes Dr. Wilson into this position and look forward to the skill and insight he will bring to the magazine.

About Acoustics Today: Each issue of Acoustics Today is sent to ASA members in print form and is also freely available online at acousticstoday.org. The primary purpose of Acoustics Today is to provide timely scholarly articles, short essays highlighting important ASA programs, and other material to ASA members that is interesting, understandable, and relevant, regardless of a member’s background.