An Introduction to Virtual Sound Barriers

A virtual sound barrier is an active noise control system that uses arrays of loudspeakers and microphones to create a useful size of quiet zone and can be used to reduce sound propagation, radiation, or transmission from noise sources or to reduce noise level around people in a noisy environment. This book introduces the history, principle, and design methods of virtual sound barriers first, and then describes recent progress in research on the systems. Two virtual sound barrier systems, i.e., planar virtual sound barrier system and three-dimensional virtual sound barrier system, are discussed including applications, limitations and future direction discussions.

Xiaojun Qiu is a professor in Audio, Acoustics and Vibration at Center for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration in Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney. He received his Bachelor and Master degrees from Peking University in 1989 and 1992, and his PhD from Nanjing University in 1995, respectively, all majoring in Acoustics. He worked in the University of Adelaide as a Research Fellow in the field of active noise control from 1997 to 2002, worked in the Institute of Acoustics of Nanjing University as a professor on Acoustics and Signal processing from 2002 to 2013, and worked at RMIT University as a Professor of Design on Audio Engineering from 2013 to 2016. He joined University of Technology Sydney in 2016. His main research areas include noise and vibration control, room acoustics, electro-acoustics and audio signal processing, particularly applications of active control technologies. He is a Fellow of Audio Engineering Society, and serves as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration and an Associate Technical Editor for the Journal of Audio Engineering Society. He has published 3 books, 5 book chapters and more than 400 technique papers, and has been the principal investigator for numerous projects. He has also been granted more than 50 patents on audio acoustics and audio signal processing.

1. Introduction. 2. Planar Virtual Sound Barriers. 3. Three-Dimensional Virtual Sound Barriers. 4. Applications. 5. Summary and Perspectives.