Meta-Earplugs Reduce Booming Voice Effect, Low-Frequency Rumbling Sounds
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
While hearing loss is preventable with earplugs, they can be uncomfortable, and users often remove them despite the risks. In the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, researchers advance the state of "meta-earplugs" by using Helmholtz resonators to tune sound waves in the ear canal. The earplugs have multiple resonators, each tuned to a different frequency, which helps target a range of low-frequency sounds and relieves acoustic pressure without relying on electronics.