Anti-Noise Exhibition

Abstract

THE Prime Minister will open on May 31 at the Science Museum, South Kensington, an Anti-Noise Exhibition which is being arranged through the Anti-Noise League. The Exhibition will remain open throughout the month of June and probably conclude with a congress during the last week. The chairman of the League, Lord Horder, broadcast on the subject of the Exhibition on January 20. It is proposed that the Exhibition shall present a comprehensive survey of the whole problem of noise in its many aspects. The practical co-operation of a number of institutions and public bodies has already been obtained, including the Ministry of Transport, the Air Ministry, the National Physical Laboratory, the Post Office Research Laboratories, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Industrial Health Research Board, and a number of industrial research laboratories. Dr. G. W. C. Kaye, of the National Physical Laboratory, is chairman of the Research and Development Section of the Exhibition, Prof. Cave-Browne-Cave, of the Transport and Machinery Section, Mr. Hope Bagenal, of the Building Section, and Sir Henry Richards, of the Organising Committee. The Science Museum has placed generous accommodation, including a cinema theatre, at the disposal of the Exhibition and it is hoped to display many interesting exhibits of noise abatement appliances. A small silent house is to be erected which will incorporate the latest architectural and building designs and materials for sound proofing and sound absorption. There will be a number of demonstrations, including silenced pneumatic drills, motor-cycles, typewriters, vacuum cleaners, electric motors, circular saws and so on. The latest devices for the measurement, analysis and filtering of noise will be shown, the psychological aspects of noise will receive attention, and experiments on the value of ear defenders, the masking of noises, the effect of noise on loudness of speaking and the use of noise-level alarms will claim the interest of most people. The effect of noise on output in industry will be illustrated by the results of recent investigations.