In addition, this laboratory is used for advanced student projects and for faculty research. Current projects include experimental modal analysis of Gibson acoustic and electric guitars, and several applied research projects for Gibson Guitars.
Room: AB 2-332 | Faculty: Dr. Dan Russell |
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The Acoustics Laboratory serves as the advanced laboratory for Applied Physics students with a concentration in Acoustics, as well as for Engineering students pursuing a Minor in Acoustics. Students who take our acoustics laboratory courses (PHYS-481 and PHYS-583) use the equipment in this lab to learn about digital recording and mixing of sound and music, analyzingng and synthesizing complex sound signals, investigating radiation of sound from simple and complex sources, measuring sound with sound levels meters and microphones, performing frequency analysis of signals (both Octave band and FFT), investigating structural vibration, peforming experimental modal analysis, studying loudspeaker design and performance, measuring reverberation times and room acoustics, studying the physics and acoustics of musical instruments (guitars, drums, and pianos), and many other exciting topics.
In addition, this laboratory is used for advanced student projects and for faculty research. Current projects include experimental modal analysis of Gibson acoustic and electric guitars, and several applied research projects for Gibson Guitars.
A full equipment list (with some pictures) describes the facilities available for student and faculty research use.
The Applied Physics Acoustics Laboratory at Kettering University was made possible by a generous donation from Gibson Musical Instruments during the 1998 fiscal year. The relationship between Kettering and Gibson is enhanced by the fact that the owner and CEO of Gibson Musical Instruemts, Henry Juszkiewicz, is a Kettering alumni (from 1974 when the school name was General Motors Institute). Gibson provided an initial cash donation of $36,000 for the purchase of two FFT analyzers, microphones, sound level meters, loudspeakers, and several computer workstations with sound and vibration analysis software. In addition, Gibson donated the modal analysis software and hardware which was formerly used at their G-WIZ research facility in California. Kettering University students are now able to become familiar with performing experimental modal analysis, a tool which is widely used in several industries. And finally, Gibson has donated three guitars (Epiphone Coronet electric, Gibson ES-335 hollow body electric, Gibson 1960's hummingbird acoustic) and two drums (snare and tom) for student research projects, and for classroom and laboratory demonstrations and experiments in the vibration of and sound radiation from musical instruments.
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Sound radiation directivity patterns were measured for monopole, dipole, and quadrupole sources. Four small loudspeakers were mounted in a cloverleaf pattern on a rotating stool and driven at a frequency of 250 Hz. Sound pressure levels were measured with a sound level meter at a distance of 1 m from the speakers. The speaker system was rotated 360o and pressure measurements were taken every 5o. By switching the polarity of each speaker it was possible to drive all four speakers together (monopole) or in pairs to form a dipole or quadupole type source. As is shown in the plots below, the measured data agrees very well with theoretical predictions.
| Measured Directivity Patterns | |||
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| Monopole | Dipole | Lateral Quadrupole | Linear Quadrupole |
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