New Across Acoustics Episode: Noise-Induced Hearing Disorders

Noise can damage hearing in numerous ways: hearing loss, tinnitus, difficulty hearing in noisy settings, as well as other sound detection or sound processing deficits. In this episode, we talk to Colleen Le Prell (UT Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences) and Odile Clavier (Creare), two editors of the recent Noise-Induced Hearing Disorders Special Issue of JASA. Learn about current clinical and investigational tools for studying noise-induced hearing disorders, as well as the latest on research about noise monitoring and hearing protection.

(Like the episode? Don’t miss the Special Issue on Noise-Induced Hearing Disorders!)

Vocal Tract Size, Shape Dictate Speech Sounds

Main anatomical shape factors of the vocal tract. Credit: Antoine Serrurier

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2023 – Only humans have the ability to use speech. Remarkably, this communication is understandable across accent, social background, and anatomy despite a wide variety of ways to produce the necessary sounds. In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from…click to read more

From the Journal: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Morphological and acoustic modeling of the vocal tract
DOI: 10.1121/10.0017356

Capturing and Analyzing Subtle Combination Tones Produced by Violins

This Totoni violin, made in Bologna in 1700, produced the strongest and most audible combination tones. CREDIT: Gabriele Caselli, Giovanni Cecchi, and Giulio Masetti

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2022 – When two musical notes are played simultaneously, the human ear can perceive weak additional tones called combination tones. These subjective tones result from the nonlinearity of the inner ear and are attributed to the amplification mechanism of the cochlea. Subjective tones are perceived with…click to read more

From the Journal: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Characteristics, mechanisms, and perceivability of combination tones in violins
DOI: 10.1121/10.0014600

Telehealth Makes Hearing Health Care More Equitable

Dr. Samantha Kleindienst Robler taking a photo of an ear (not a patient) using a telemedicine/telehealth cart. CREDIT: Reba Lean

Dr. Samantha Kleindienst Robler taking a photo of an ear (not a patient) using a telemedicine cart. CREDIT: Reba Lean

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2022 – According to the World Health Organization, 1.6 billion people across the globe are living with hearing loss. Much of that is preventable, stemming from excessive noise, untreated ear infections, and…click to read more

From the Journal: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Telehealth solutions for assessing auditory outcomes related to noise and ototoxic exposures in clinic and research
DOI: 10.1121/10.0013706

Saturn V Was Loud But Didn’t Melt Concrete

The Saturn V rocket carried humans to the moon and remains the most powerful rocket to reach orbit to date. CREDIT: NASA

WASHINGTON, August 23, 2022 – The Saturn V carried man to the moon and remains the most powerful rocket to successfully launch to orbit. It captures the imagination — but sometimes, it might capture a bit too much imagination. Abundant internet claims about the acoustic power of the rocket suggest that it melted concrete and…click to read more

From the Journal: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Article: Saturn-V sound levels: A letter to the Redditor
DOI: 10.1121/10.0013216

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