Philadelphia, May 15: 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.
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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