New research into the Effects of Noise
Ecophon is supporting a research study conducted at Cardiff University, School of Psychology by Professor Dylan Jones and Dr Simon Banbury. The aim is to look at the effects of stress and anxiety on the disruption of tasks by office noise.
Both high fidelity recordings of office sounds and naturalistic simulations of office tasks under laboratory conditions have been utilised in the study. Arup Acoustics have assisted the recordings, monitored and calibrated the acoustics of the experimental set-up as well as analysed the data.
The performance tests are presently being conducted at the laboratory of the School of Psychology, Cardiff University.
Study design
A simulation of an open plan office was made, by replaying typical office noises (anechoic recordings of various office sound sources such as, ringing telephones, slamming doors, photocopiers and telephone conversations) through a series of loudspeakers and to record these using a ‘dummy head’.
In addition noise levels were measured at the time of recordings to enable the replay levels to be adjusted to the correct level within the test set-up.
The office arrangement was then fitted with an acoustically absorptive respectively a reflective ceiling.
Press release
