The filmed keynote presentation from Inter-noise2024 this summer is now available. Abstract (plus some relevant slides from the presentation): The presentation discusses the challenges of adopting a child perspective on noise exposure and the health effects due to noise. It takes as a point of departure a child perspective on vulneralility, including exposure, susceptibility to […]
Well-being
Inter-Noise 2024: Healthcare Acoustics
It was with great pleasure we visited this years Inter-Noise in beautiful Nantes in France. Nantes is especially know for being the birthplace of Jules Verne, master of adventure who was also a poet and one of France’s most prolific authors of all time, with a specific interest in science. Some 1800 acousticians and researchers […]
Shaping Vibrant Experiences: A Fresh Perspective on Healthcare Design from EIAS 2023
As the sun painted a warm glow over the dunes, streaming into the conference hall on the first afternoon at the 2023 Ecophon International Acoustic Seminar (EIAS), Alessandro Caruso stepped onto the stage, bringing a captivating vibe and challenging us to rethink the role of design in shaping the emotional landscapes of healthcare environments. Caruso […]
Healing environments – efforts and opportunities
Visiting or staying in a hospital is an exciting experience for most people. In this environment, stimuli are perceived that can influence the situation in both a positive and negative way. Various studies have shown that noise levels in hospitals are too high for optimal healing. This blog is about how healing environments can contribute […]
Psychoacoustics: Humans and sound environments
From thunderclaps to crying children: sound waves have a large variety of physical, physiological, and psychological effects on people. These effects, rather than the actual sound wave, affect acoustic comfort. In room-acoustic design, it is often not enough to measure how to achieve the best possible technical parameters. In addition to this, one should always […]
Hospital facilities often fall by the wayside
In many older hospital facilities, noise is disruptive and continuous; for this reason, particular attention was paid to the acoustics in the new intensive and intermediate care unit in Seinäjoki, Finland. According to a nationwide study, on average 55% of those working in healthcare would like to see improvements to the sound environment of working […]
Clever hospital designs prevent noise and calm down patients
A few years ago, at the Healthcare Estates Conference in Manchester, UK John Criddle from Evelina London Children’s Hospital and Martin Jones from Art in Site talked about how they designed the emergency dept. with the use of illustrative and digital arts to guide, reassure, and role model behaviors. Their talk was called: Taking the ‘OUCH’ out of Emergency. […]
Noise in the ICU
Noise pollution In recent years, several acoustic studies have noted that the sound environment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is noisy and demanding. The noises are unpredictable and unexpected as they have numerous sources. The extent of the problem is not yet fully understood, but the impact of noise pollution in patient rooms in […]
