University of Southampton

We normally hear sounds because they enter the outer ear and are transmitted to the organ of hearing in the inner ear, called the cochlea, via the middle ear, which contains the smallest bones in the body. The cochlea is itself embedded in hard bone and has fluid-filled chambers separated by a flexible partition called […]

Families often watch TV together, but what happens when one member has hearing difficulties? Usually the result is a compromise on listening volume that doesn’t really satisfy anyone. In my research, I have been designing highly directional acoustical radiators, commonly known as loudspeaker arrays, which are aimed to increase the speech intelligibility of hearing impaired […]

Acoustical engineers make use of many different materials with a wide range of properties. But what if a material with the properties we need doesn’t exist? Using to new manufacturing technologies we can make our own. Metamaterials consist of periodic arrangements of resonant elements and have many exciting applications including acoustic superlenses, which could provide […]