12 Jan 10. The Ancillaries business of SELEX Communications, a Finmeccanica company, has recently undergone a number of capability enhancements. Experts at the York site, a UK centre of excellence for acoustic accessories design and manufacturing, are now able to offer acoustic services to support other companies’ Research & Development of future audio solutions.
Head of Ancillaries David Evans comments, “Exposure to excessive noise levels causes heightened stress levels and prolonged exposure can cause hearing damage. Information gathered through testing and evaluation enhances and improves the understanding of the environments in which users are expected to operate. We work closely with our customers to supply the correct hearing protection and help industrial partners develop new products to optimise protection in adverse working environments.”
An anechoic chamber, complete with a Knowles Electronics manikin (KEMAR) designed specifically for acoustic research, tests and analyses acoustic measurement and environmental sound pressures.
The following services are available:
• Acoustic recording and sound pressure level measurement of environmental noise
• Playback and analysis of environmental noise
• Test and evaluation of speech intelligibility of communication headsets
• Test and evaluation of hearing protection devices
• Environment simulation up to 125dB
Acoustic recording and sound pressure level measurement
The centre can record acoustic noise and measure the levels of the constantly changing environment that an individual operates within during their normal duties. This can range from normal street vehicular noises to heavy plant and machinery or – in a military environment – from pyrotechnic explosives to gunfire of both small and large calibres.
Analysis of the noise enables us to determine strengths and areas where most of the damaging sounds are located. As a result, this enables the team to recommend the most beneficial hearing protection device for the particular environment.
Playback and analysis
The ability to use noise recordings for playback and analysis supports the understanding of requirements needed to protect users in their individual operating environments.
Headset speech intelligibility
The playback capability, in conjunction with a fixed manikin, requirements and exceeding their expectations enables the team to test and analyse speech intelligibility. Tests can be used across a full range of headset and speech communication devices. This helps ensure the equipment supplied is capable of operating optimally in the worst-case environment.
Hearing protection devices
A further capability tests customers’ existing equipment and analyses the level of protection given, leading to recommendations as to how this protection could possibly be improved upon.
Environmental simulation
The anechoic chamber demonstrates
Visually the protection capabilities of Recommended equipment through actual noise attenuation on the display screen next to the chamber. The example is of the 10Hz to 20,000Hz frequency range, over the 1/3 octave frequency analysis display.