Anechoic chamber

Anechoic Chamber

An anechoic chamber is a room designed to completely absorb reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves. They are also often isolated from waves entering from their surroundings. This combination means that an anechoic chamber simulates a quiet open-space of infinite dimension, which is useful when exterior influences would otherwise give false results.

History

The first anechoic chamber was built in 1940 by Bell Labs. The goal was to create a space for testing and measuring sound without reflections distorting the results. Since then, anechoic chambers have been used in various fields, including acoustics, electromagnetics, and wireless communication.

Design and Construction

The design of an anechoic chamber depends on its intended use. For sound-related applications, the walls, ceiling, and floor are usually lined with sound-absorbing material such as wedge-shaped foam or mineral wool. For electromagnetic applications, the surfaces are covered with radiation-absorbing material.

The size of the chamber can vary greatly depending on the specific requirements. Some chambers are small enough to fit on a desktop, while others are large enough to accommodate an entire aircraft.

Applications

Anechoic chambers are used in a variety of fields. In acoustics, they are used for testing microphones, speakers, and other audio devices. In electromagnetics, they are used for antenna testing and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing. In the wireless industry, they are used for testing cell phones and other wireless devices.

See Also

• Acoustics
• Electromagnetics
• Wireless communication
• Bell Labs

References

This wireless related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.