Recent Developments in Acoustics and Vibration

In recent years there have been rapid advances in digital computers, the miniaturization of electronic circuits and the development of new materials. In the acoustics and vibration fields these advances have led to a continual increase in computational power and speed, improved acoustics and vibration transducers and instrumentation and better measurement techniques. In many cases the developments have been synergistic; new experimental knowledge has led to improved theoretical models and approaches and vice versa. Improved computers have allowed the development of a host of computer programs and increasing numbers have become available as commercial acoustics and vibration software. Of particular importance has been ‘ the development of numerical calculation schemes such as the finite element method (FEM) and the boundary element method (BEM) which have led to much improved predictive capabilities in many fields. However, advances have been in many other areas of acoustics as well and not confined just to such numerical prediction schemes. As examples, a few of these advances will be concisely summarized including: increased knowledge of and use of FEM and BEM, Computational Aeroacoustics, Sonochemist~, Thermoacoustic Engines, Active Noise and Vibration Control, Sound Intensity Measurements and their uses, Techniques of Speech Coding and Recognition of Speech, Ultrasonics in Medical Diagnostics, and Cochlear Mechanics.