Bruel and Kjaer acoustic demo for school project

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Dec 24, 2007

Students receive a lesson on the art of measuring sound from the Acoustical Investigation and Research Organisation (AIRO) and Bruel and Kjaer UK.

A group of Year 12 students visited Bruel and Kjaer's Stevenage office to take part in a demonstration on reverberation time measurement, which involves the use of a sound level meter and impulse response, including using a starting pistol.

The sound level meter, with Reverberation Time Software, is used to assess the acoustic characteristics in workplaces, classrooms, auditoria and public spaces - and test sound insulation in new or renovated buildings.

After encouraging the visitors to make a variety of sounds by numerous methods, several sound recordings were captured.

Bruel and Kjaer's engineers then took them through a step-by-step explanation of the software used for analysis, whilst explaining how reverberation time is vital to those involved in the building or construction industry.

Bruel and Kjaer UK's Managing Director, William Egan said: "It's great that the Government is encouraging schools to get involved with engineering projects and we were only too happy to help provide Tring School's students with a live demonstration".

"We hope the students enjoyed the opportunity to make acoustics come alive and hopefully we'll have inspired them to consider a career within this field".

The Engineering Education Scheme (England) is an EDT Programme which links teams of four Year 12 students and their teacher with local companies to work on real, scientific, engineering and technological problems.

The scheme provides students with an in-depth experience in science, engineering and technology that will enable them to make an informed decision about their future studies and career.

This is achieved through a six-month programme during which students are encouraged to show industrial enterprise, creativity and innovation whilst gaining extensive experience of problem-solving, team-working and project management.

More information is available on the website.