189th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America
joint with
the Acoustical Society of Japan
Honolulu, HI 1-5 December 2025
Acoustics Lay Language Papers
Please keep in mind that some of the research described in these lay papers may not have yet been peer reviewed.
Fifteen Years of Research on Active Noise Control Systems for Partially Open Windows
Researchers have spent the past fifteen years developing systems that can reduce noise coming through partially open windows while still allowing natural ventilation.
Breaking the Skull Barrier: “Listening” to Ultrasound Therapy Inside the Brain
Breaking the Skull Barrier: How do you monitor ultrasound brain therapy when skull bone blocks the signal? Researchers use the “Parametric Array” effect to generate low-freq “messenger waves” inside the brain that slip right through. Real-time, non-invasive monitoring is here! #FUS #Acoustics #GeorgiaTech
Hearing where it counts: Toward better directional hearing during earplug and earmuff use
Hearing where with hearing wear? Ear protection devices like earplugs and earmuffs reduce directional hearing ability, but new measurements may provide a pathway to predict impacts across devices and build better ones.
Acoustic Suction Tweezers: A new compact acoustic gadget for small object manipulation
This research group has long been developing acoustic tweezers capable of lifting small objects using the power of ultrasound. Now, they’ve taken this a step further and developed a new acoustic gadget: Acoustic Suction Tweezers, which, with a simple design and clever use of the lifting force of acoustic waves, allow for intuitive manipulation of small objects.
Sound(e)scape: Can a Sonic Break Improve Cognitive Performance?
The Sound(e)scape project reimagines acoustics as a pathway to well-being. By understanding how interactive sound influences attention and cognition, we can design buildings that not only reduce harmful noise, but actively help the mind take a restorative break.
Acoustics of Korean Traditional Architecture: A Case Study of Magoksa Temple
Ever wondered how a 17th-century Korean wooden temple sounds? Researchers measured Magoksa Temple’s warm, bass-rich acoustics so future generations can not only see, but also hear this heritage in virtual reality.
Listen to the Voices of Plants: Evaluate leaf water content with acoustic response of leaf
Listen to the Voices of Plants: Evaluate leaf water content with acoustic response of leaf. 🌿🔊 #Acoustics #PlantAcoustics #PlantMusic #PlantScience #SmartFarming
How the season affects if you hear a sonic boom during rocket ascent
Rocket ascent sonic booms can be heard over 70 miles away from the launch pad. But hearing one is not guaranteed – it comes down to the trajectory and weather. Check out this lay-language paper to discover the role that seasonal weather is playing in determining if you’ll hear a rocket ascent sonic boom in Southern California.
The sounds of the water music of Vanuatu
Women in the island nation of Vanuatu create music in a unique way. Standing waist deep in a pool, they strike the water with their hands creating a unique variety of tones.
Delays in auditory development constrain language development
Auditory development is essential to the development of sophisticated language abilities.
Using sound to observe the global ocean
Measuring sound in the ocean can detect threats, monitor climate change and manage effects of noise on marine wildlife
Sound-Activated Gels to Treat Back Pain
A new, on-demand approach to back pain treatment: a liquid implant that solidifies with sound. Using focused ultrasound, scientists can safely ‘switch on’ a soft gel inside damaged spinal discs, restoring cushioning and offering a minimally invasive alternative to surgery.
Listening to the Placenta to Detect Pregnancy Complications Early
A simple ultrasound may soon reveal hidden clues about placental health, giving parents and clinicians a chance to detect pregnancy complications like preeclampsia or fetal hypoxia before they begin.
Understanding Why Engine Noise Feels Loud in Hybrid Vehicles with AI
Across Japan, the U.S., and the U.K., AI found that engine noise annoyance depends strongly on short-term driving history.
How do humans whistle?
When was the last time you tried to whistle and wondered how do we make music with our mouth?
Cities Turn to Zoning to Stop Pickleball Noise Controversies
Pickleball can thrive without generating noise controversy if cities treat it as a land-use planning question for the professionals in the zoning department rather than a noise-meter question. The communities that plan wisely avoid conflict, avoid bad publicity, protect public funds, and preserve the joy of the sport.
The Science of Screaming
You might have seen singing in the MRI, but have you seen screaming in the MRI?
Can Artificial Intelligence Accurately Clone Dysphonic Voices?
What happens when AI tries to imitate a disordered voice? It makes it sound healthier. While this may seem beneficial on the surface, it is actually problematic: the AI-generated voice no longer reflects the speaker’s true vocal deficits. As a result, the synthetic output masks clinically relevant cues such as breathiness, roughness, or strain, making the disorder harder to perceive, assess, or study.
Should people have a legal right to quiet in their homes and yards?
Unwanted noise is a health hazard, just like secondhand smoke is. Should people have a legal right to quiet in their own homes and yards?
Pickleball noise and conflict: It’s not just the decibels
Pickleball noise isn’t just a “loudness” issue. The context around the sound—timing, personal impact, fear, and social conflict—shapes how people respond to it. New research highlights how these factors influence reactions to pickleball noise.
Hearing Loss in Old Age Isn’t Due to Normal Aging
Hearing loss in old age isn’t normal aging. It’s the result of cumulative excessive lifetime noise exposure.
Creating audible enclaves: private sound with invisible ultrasound beams
Research shows how to create a “bubble” of sound in mid-air without using headphones and without filling the whole room with noise.
The Noise Nobody Planned For: A Community Perspective on Pickleball Noise
Pop-pop-pop. Pickleball noise is more than an annoyance. Research shows residents over 500 feet away from courts report health concerns and loss of home enjoyment—hallmarks of harmful and unwanted noise.
#Pickleball #PickleballNoise #PublicHealth