Computer based laboratory instruction in acoustics and noise control

Abstract

A computer based instructional laboratory in acoustics and noise control is described. The semester length laboratory, which is currently being developed, is based upon analog to digital (A to D) conversion of transducer signals followed by micro‐ and/or main frame‐computer analysis of the digitized signals. The proposed laboratory is compared with traditional laboratories in acoustics which normally require a number of stand‐alone instruments. Extensions of the microcomputer based laboratory using the “micro” as a “smart” terminal in a main frame time sharing system are also discussed. The progression of experiments in the laboratory evolves through these phases. First phase experiments are designed to familiarize the student with transducers, A to D conversion and simple, stand alone, micro‐computer analysis. Second phase experiments involve multichannel data acquisition and more extensive micro‐computer analysis. Third phase experiments involve main frame software and data storage using the micro‐computer as a “smart” terminal in a time sharing system. A phase two experiment pertaining to acoustic parameters describing the impulsive response of a room will be described and discussed in detail.