Excessive noise is a problem that disrupts life in the 21st Century. Project peacemaker began with the goal of providing a product that could create a portable area of silence. This can be achieved by generating a wave exactly 180 degrees out of phase with the sound waves of noise, causing cancellation at a desired point. This process is known as Active Noise Cancellation or Active Noise Control (ANC). This technology was proposed to be used as a cheaper and more portable alternative to the existing soundproofing technology - which consists of erecting physical barriers which may be costly or impossible in some contexts.
The focus of the project shall be on small offices, in particular open-plan offices. The need for communication is key to any organisation, but holding meetings in small offices can easily disturb others around you. The alternative of going to a separate public location can be disruptive and risky if sensitive information is to be discussed. Constructing a meeting room and using traditional passive soundproofing can also be costly and proves to be a rather inflexible solution. This forms the basis of the project, which suggests concepts and means of implementing ANC to achieve a virtual meeting room where people outside of the meeting room will not be disturbed by those inside it.
An area designated for employees to converse, speak on the phone and hold meetings without disturbing the rest of the office. This area will be outfitted with reference microphones that input noise signals into the filter. The filtered output will then be sent through loudspeakers to surrounding rooms. The adaptive filter will then use input from an error microphone placed close to the listeners to adapt the filter, such that the loudspeaker creates a wave that minimises error at the error microphone. As a result, noise from the room is cancelled and neighbouring workers can work in peace. An assumption is made is that sound is significantly attenuated once it reaches beyond neighbouring cubicles, which explains the design choices of only placing error microphones only in these cubicles. However, this assumption means the it’s possible that cubicles that are further away can be disturbed by particularly loud noise, as there is no active control of noise for these cubicles from the noise sources.
A peaceful environment is the key for any successful business, which enables the employees to reach their optimum capabilities
Communication in an organised business is essential it can greatly increase the productivity as information is conveyed without any major confusion. This results in confidence in their own work.
With a good working environment it's only natural for the quality of work to improve, this can build better trust between the business and clients.
With the previous 3 benefits provided by our product, it would only be right for this to increase the overall revenue created by the business.
