UKAN Celebration!

 

On the 19th March 2025 the UKAN (UK Acoustics Network) celebrated 8 years of funding. The network brought together academics across the country who might have previously working in isolation. Industry supported the idea and EPSRC paid twice! Prof Stephen Dance raised issues around policy and standards and was the Health and Wellbeing champion. UKAN will continue as a virtual network and will be incorporated into the Institute of Acoustics as part of legacy planning. Many thanks to everybody who helped! 

Launch of Noise Network+

 

On the 18th March 2025 the EPSRC funded Noise Network+ was launched at the Royal Academy of Engineering at Prince Philip House. The network is to address Tomorrow's Engineering Research Challenges (TERC) and the Plus part is to fund feasibility projects of which there will be two tranches over the 3 year grant. Prof Mark Plumbley leads the delivery team which will build on the great work of the UK Acoustics Network (UKAN).  Sign up here jiscmail.ac.uk/Noise

Royal Opera House Ballet Rehearsal Studio Testing

 

On the 27th February 2025 Professor Stephen Dance was invited to the Royal Opera House to test the acoustics of their Ballet Rehearsal Studio. With only 12 minutes available a very quick balloon burst test was undertaken, interrupting Darcy Bushell's warm-up preparation, to measure the reverberation in the studio. A very pretty space that could be adapted to a multi-use room! 

Association of Architects visit the Acoustics Laboratory

 

On the 20th February 2025 the Masters students from the School of the Association of Architects once again visited the Acoustics Laboratory at London South Bank University. Formers MSc student and now tutor at the Association of Architects bought her students to the laboratory to meet and explore acoustics with our graduate students. The experiment was to optimise the position of sound absorption in a room to aid the acoustique. It got very competitive but was also fun!

Musical Acoustics at the Royal Opera House

On the 9th April 2025 the Institute of Acoustics Musical Acoustics Group have arranged a half day meeting to be held at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. The programme is open for submission covering all new developments in musical acoustics and will also include a tour. The event information will be provided through www.ioa.org.uk. So keep an eye out!

 

Students go on a field trip

 

On the 4th February 2025 London South Bank University IOA Diploma and Masters student attended a field trip. The students measured the room acoustics of a newly refurbished room using the ARTA platform. Given it was week 2 for some, they enjoyed the experience!  

Investigation of noise exposure from balloon bursts published

 

A journal article, "Noise exposure and auditory risk from air filled balloon bursts", has been recently published in Applied Acoustics. The investigation determines for the first time the noise exposure and risk to hearing from the impulse noise generated by the burst of air-filled latex balloons. It has been authored by Dr Luis Gomez-Agustina and co-authored by LSBU MSc Acoustics current student Antonella Bevilacqua and former student Pedro Vazquez-Barrera.

The novel study reports concerning noise exposure and risk to hearing from balloon bursts. It also provides for the first time guidance on safe procedures during acoustic measurements or in leisure activities. It is expected that the novel findings, and insights will raise awareness, change attitudes and practices of acoustic practitioners and general lay users to reduce the risk of hearing damage and aid professionals to comply with applicable occupational health and safety regulations.