Auditory science lecture;

Gul E Zahra Naqvi

Lecturer Audiology
BMDC BAHAWALPUR
Helmholtz resonance:
• Helmholtz resonance or wind throb is the phenomenon of air
resonance in a cavity, such as when one blows across the top of an
empty bottle.
• The name comes from a device created in the 1850s by
Hermann von Helmholtz, to show the height of the various
tones….the Helmholtz resonator, which he used to identify the
various frequencies or musical pitches present in music and other
complex sounds. An example of Helmholtz resonance is the sound
created when one blows across the top of an empty bottle.
Helmholtz resonance:

A brass, spherical Helmholtz resonator based on

his original design, circa 1890-1900
Applications:

• Helmholtz resonance finds application in internal combustion

engines (see airbox), subwoofers and acoustics.
• In stringed instruments as old as the veena or sitar, or as recent
as the guitar and violin, the resonance curve of the instrument
has the Helmholtz resonance as one of its peaks, along with
other peaks coming from resonances of the vibration of the
wood.
Applications:

• Helmholtz resonators are used in architectural acoustics to

reduce undesirable low frequency sounds (standing waves,
etc.) by building a resonator tuned to the problem frequency,
thereby eliminating it.
Acoustic impedance:
• Acoustic impedance and specific acoustic impedance are
measures of the opposition (resistance) that a system presents to
the acoustic flow (through tissue) resulting from an acoustic
pressure applied to the system.
• The SI unit of acoustic impedance is the pascal second per cubic
meter (Pa·s/m3) . There is a close analogy with
electrical impedance, which measures the opposition that a
system presents to the electrical flow resulting from an electrical
voltage applied to the system.
Acoustic impedance:
• It is a frequency dependent parameter & is very useful e.g, for describing the behavior of
musical wind instruments.
• Mathematically, it is the sound pressure p divided by the particle velocity v & the surface
area s through which an acoustic wave of frequency f propagates.
• If the impedance is calculated for a range of excitation frequencies the result is an
impedance curve plane, single frequency travelling wave have acoustic impedance equal
to the characteristics impedance divided by the surface area, where the characteristics
impedance is the product of longitudinal wave velocity & density of the medium.
• Acoustic impedance can be expressed in either its constituent units (pressure per velocity
per area) or in rayls.
Acoustic couplers:

• In telecommunications, an acoustic coupler is an interface

device for coupling electrical signals by acoustical means—
usually into and out of a telephone.
• Converting electric signals from the phone line to sound and
reconvert sound to electric signals needed for the end terminal,
such as a teletypewriter, and back, rather than through direct
electrical connection.
Acoustic couplers:
• Popular in the 1970s the acoustic coupler was a device that allowed a
computer to connect to other computers using a telephone handset. The
first acoustic couplers used a telephone handset and transmitted at speeds
of up to 300 baud. To transmit information the acoustic coupler converts
data into sound signals, sends those signals over the phone line, and then
the receiving acoustic coupler interpreted those signals. The picture is an
example of an acoustic coupler available through Konexx.
• Today, data transmission over phone lines happens via modem instead of
the acoustic coupler because of the dependability, speed, and ease of use.
Although acoustic couplers are rarely used today, they may still be a solution
for travelers who do not have access to a modem or network connection
Acoustic couplers: