Wall Design Centers Experience of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals #ASA190

Textured walls improve speech clarity, making an easier listening experience for all.

PHILADELPHIA, May 14, 2026 — According to many deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, clarity — not volume — is one of the most challenging parts of understanding speech in enclosed spaces. In many types of rooms, sound reflecting off multiple walls muddies conversation, making it harder to understand.

“For most people, this might just feel like background noise,” said researcher Po-Chun Chou, a researcher from the University of Michigan. “But for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, it can significantly affect their ability to follow conversations — especially when it comes to distinguishing important speech details like consonants.”

But making spaces quieter isn’t a perfect solution — what matters is controlling how sound travels in a room. To do so, Chou developed a patterns wall to improve the listening experience of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

Chou will present these designs Thursday, May 14, at 3:40 p.m. ET as part of the 190th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, running May 11-15.

Left side shows a close-up of a 3D printer creating a black object on a yellow surface. Right side shows a person with a blue hair tie touching a textured black wall with vertical and horizontal printing lines.

The modular wall is put together using building blocks fabricated by 3D printing. Credit: Po-Chun Chou

The researchers began by conducting acoustic simulations to study how different surface textures influenced speech clarity to determine the patterns for their wall. Then, they conducted experiments to validate their findings and observe how the designs affect sound behavior in real life.

Instead of building an entire wall, they designed “tiles” that could fit together like a puzzle, linking them together to fit different room shapes and sizes. These pieces were fabricated using a 3D printer.

“One key finding is that the acoustic performance of a wall can be precisely controlled through geometry and fabrication parameters — not just traditional materials.” Chou said.

Surprisingly, they found that different patterns and 3D printing settings impact different frequency ranges, meaning that the wall designs can be personalized to different user experiences.

Since this research was inspired by personal experiences, Chou hopes others will understand that challenges for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals can be amplified by their environments.

“Architectural acoustics should not be seen only as a matter of comfort — it can also be a matter of accessibility,” Chou said. “By integrating design, digital fabrication, and acoustic performance, we can create spaces that support clearer communication. This benefits not only deaf and hard-of-hearing users, but everyone who uses the space.”

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For more information:
AIP Media
1 301.209.3090
media@aip.org

Main Meeting Website: https://acousticalsociety.org/philadelphia/
Technical Program: https://eppro01.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING2026

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 the in-person conference at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown for 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/.

More Press Releases

Shrinking Designs, Growing Challenges: Measuring Noise Reduction in Small Structures

Trigun Dinesh Maroo – dr.tmaroo@gmail.com

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.

Left image is large rectangular wooden box placed on a tiled floor. Right image is a top-down view the wooden box open showing two compartments with green cylindrical components attached to the inner walls.Figure 1: The Small Reverberation Chamber (left) closed (right) open

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.

Diagram of a small reverberation chamber setup with a speaker, rotating diffuser, sample, microphone, and PC for amplification and processing.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.

Meta-Earplugs Reduce Booming Voice Effect, Low-Frequency Rumbling Sounds

More comfortable earplugs mean increased use and lower rates of hearing loss.

Left: Artificial head with metal plate in place of the ear in a lab setting. Right: Person with long hair wearing a gray Meta-earplug in their ear, with a black speaker mounted on a stand in a testing room.

The authors tested the 3D-printed meta-earplug on an artificial head and a group of human participants, demonstrating an effective reduction in low-frequency sound. Credit: Carillo et al.

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2026 — Workplace hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses. While hearing loss is preventable with earplugs, they can be uncomfortable, and users often remove them despite the risks. Low-frequency sounds, such as rumbling traffic and warehouse vibrations, are especially difficult to address because differences in ear physiology allow sound to leak into ears, despite protection from earplugs.

Traditional earplugs also make the user’s voice sound booming and hollow, known as the occlusion effect. It is caused by vocal vibrations that travel through bones and build up pressure on the eardrum when the ear canal is blocked with an earplug.

In the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, published by AIP Publishing, researchers at…click to read more

From: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Voice clones are easier to understand in noise than their human originals: the voice cloning intelligibility benefit
DOI: 10.1121/10.0043161

More Press Releases

Small but Mighty: Insect-Inspired Microphones #ASA184

Small but Mighty: Insect-Inspired Microphones #ASA184

3D printing technology facilitates bio-inspired microphones that operate autonomously and efficiently.

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

CHICAGO, May 10, 2023 – What can an insect hear? Surprisingly, quite a lot. Though small and simple, their hearing systems are highly efficient. For example, with a membrane only 2 millimeters across, the desert locust can decompose frequencies comparable to human capability. By understanding how insects perceive sound and using 3D-printing technology to create custom materials, it is possible to develop miniature, bio-inspired microphones.

The displacement of the wax moth Acroia grisella membrane, which is one of the key sources of inspiration for designing miniature, bio-inspired microphones. Credit: Andrew Reid

Andrew Reid of the University of Strathclyde in the U.K. will present his work creating such microphones, which can autonomously collect acoustic data with little power consumption. His presentation, “Unnatural hearing — 3D printing functional polymers as a path to bio-inspired microphone design,” will take place Wednesday, May 10, at 10:05 a.m. Eastern U.S. in the Northwestern/Ohio State room, as part of the 184th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America running May 8-12 at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile Hotel.

“Insect ears are ideal templates for lowering energy and data transmission costs, reducing the size of the sensors, and removing data processing,” said Reid.

Reid’s team takes inspiration from insect ears in multiple ways. On the chemical and structural level, the researchers use 3D-printing technology to fabricate custom materials that mimic insect membranes. These synthetic membranes are highly sensitive and efficient acoustic sensors. Without 3D printing, traditional, silicon-based attempts at bio-inspired microphones lack the flexibility and customization required.

“In images, our microphone looks like any other microphone. The mechanical element is a simple diaphragm, perhaps in a slightly unusual ellipsoid or rectangular shape,” Reid said. “The interesting bits are happening on the microscale, with small variations in thickness and porosity, and on the nanoscale, with variations in material properties such as the compliance and density of the material.”

More than just the material, the entire data collection process is inspired by biological systems. Unlike traditional microphones that collect a range of information, these microphones are designed to detect a specific signal. This streamlined process is similar to how nerve endings detect and transmit signals. The specialization of the sensor enables it to quickly discern triggers without consuming a lot of energy or requiring supervision.

The bio-inspired sensors, with their small size, autonomous function, and low energy consumption, are ideal for applications that are hazardous or hard to reach, including locations embedded in a structure or within the human body.

Bio-inspired 3D-printing techniques can be applied to solve many other challenges, including working on blood-brain barrier organoids or ultrasound structural monitoring.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING23&proof=true

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 300 to 500 word summaries 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 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 (ASA) 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/.

A Cocktail Party of 3D-Printed Robot Heads #ASA184

A Cocktail Party of 3D-Printed Robot Heads #ASA184

Human simulators that talk and listen to each other facilitate research on the head’s acoustic properties for better designed audio devices.

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

CHICAGO, May 8, 2023 – Imagine a cocktail party full of 3D-printed, humanoid robots listening and talking to each other. That seemingly sci-fi scene is the goal of the Augmented Listening Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Realistic talking (and listening) heads are crucial for investigating how humans receive sound and developing audio technology.

The head simulators are 3D-printed into components and assembled, enabling customization at low cost. Credit: Augmented Listening Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The team will describe the talking human head simulators in their presentation, “3D-printed acoustic head simulators that talk and move,” on Monday, May 8, at 12:15 p.m. Eastern U.S. in the Northwestern/Ohio State room of the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile Hotel. The talk comes as part of the 184th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America running May 8-12.

Algorithms used to improve human hearing must consider the acoustic properties of the human head. For example, hearing aids adjust the sound received at each ear to create a more realistic listening experience. For the adjustment to succeed, an algorithm must realistically assess the difference between the arrival time at each ear and amplitude of the sound.

It is important to study human listening in natural environments, like cocktail parties, where many conversations occur at once.

“Simulating realistic scenarios for conversation enhancement often requires hours of recording with human subjects. The entire process can be exhausting for the subjects, and it is extremely hard for a subject to remain perfectly still in between and during recordings, which affects the measured acoustic pressures,” said Austin Lu, a student member of the team. “Acoustic head simulators can overcome both drawbacks. They can be used to create large data sets with continuous recording and are guaranteed to remain still.”

Since researchers have precise control over the simulated subject, they can adjust the parameters of the experiment and even set the machines in motion to simulate neck movements.

In a feat of design and engineering, the heads are 3D-printed into components and assembled, enabling customization at low cost. The highly detailed ears are fitted with microphones along different parts to simulate both human hearing and Bluetooth earpieces. The “talkbox,” or mouthlike loudspeaker, closely mimics human vocals. To facilitate motion, the researchers paid special attention to the neck. Because the 3D model of the head design is open source, other teams can download and modify it as needed. The diminishing cost of 3D printing means there is a relatively low barrier for fabricating these heads.

“Our acoustic head project is the culmination of the work done by many students with highly varied technical backgrounds,” said Manan Mittal, a graduate researcher with the team. “Projects like this are due to interdisciplinary research that requires engineers to work with designers.”

The Augmented Listening Laboratory has also created wheeled and pully-driven systems to simulate walking and more complex motion, which they describe on their website.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASASPRING23&proof=true

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 300 to 500 word summaries 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 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 (ASA) 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/.