I've just read about this "anechoic chamber" at Orfield Laboratories in the USA. It's a chamber said to be 99.9% sound absorbent. So far as I can deduce after 45minutes you will turn into a wobbling jelly, a shadow of your former self, able to hear only those sounds emanating from within. By all accounts your ears will adapt to the lack of usual cacophony to such an extent that quite soon all you hear is your heartbeat, or maybe your stomach gurgling. Heaven forbid that you cough or get the overpowering urge to pass wind. And if the two are concomitant there's no telling what might happen. A disorientating experience if nothing else. Hallucinations for sure.
Who uses this room? Well NASA do - but then they would wouldn't they? But of more fascination are the manufacturers using it for formal product testing. Things like checking out the sounds of switches on car dashboards, heart valves, and the display on cellphones (uh??). Harley-Davidson are said to use the room when trying to make their motorbikes quieter!! Yeah right ! Well I'm not convinced. A Harley can already reduce observers to wobbling jelly status without an anechoic chamber and who in their right mind would want to hear themselves fart above the unique Harley sound?
No I think rooms of this type, if not actually the Orfield Labs room, could be far more useful. What about the need to check out the stories of suspected terrorists, illegal immigrants or other miscreants?
"Do have a seat old chap. We'll be with you shortly."
I want one of these rooms at home. It could be what the Brits call "the front room." So when the unsolicited salesman, religious fanatic, politician, nosy neighbour, whatever, appears at the door he can be welcomed, shown to the front room, and told to wait a bit while you get him a drink. Then what? Of course !! Lock the bugger in and return with a nice cup of coffee 45 minutes later.
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