If you’re trying to concentrate really hard on something, or you’re doing your best to get a good night’s sleep, silence is key. But even if we control our surroundings to make sure there’s as little noise as possible, there will always be some noise.
Unless you pay a visit to the world’s quietest room . Built by Microsoft in 2015, their anechoic chamber makes it so that no noise can get in.
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Located In Redmond, Washington, The Room Stops Any Echoes In Their Tracks.
In June 2016, Microsoft uploaded a 3D YouTube video showing off the anechoic chamber in all its glory. The host of the video and Principal Human Factors Engineer for Microsoft, Hundraj Gopal, takes viewers on a tour of the facility.
It Took About A Year And A Half To Build.
The chamber is located in Microsoft’s head office, and over the course of the video Gopal explains that it is used for testing the sounds of various Microsoft products.
The Room Uses Various Techniques To Dampen Sound.
CNN reports that the chamber is made of six layers of concrete and steel. Hundreds of wedges are placed either vertically or horizontally across the whole room and absorb both low and high sound frequencies.
The Wedges Are On The Floor And Ceiling, As Well.
In fact, as Gopal explains in the YouTube video, there is no “real” floor in the chamber. Instead, a series of steel cables line what would be the floor, adding just enough support for people to stand on it.
Gopal Shows How Sound Gets Absorbed By The Wedges.
In the video, he turns around while talking. As he turns, his voice becomes more and more muffled, and then less so as he turns back around.
The Chamber On The Microsoft Campus Holds The Guinness World Record For Quietest Room.
The room’s sound level is about 20 decibels below what the average human can hear, which is part of the reason why it is so difficult for people to remain inside for long periods of time.
In The Video, Gopal Demonstrates Just How Much Sound The Chamber Can Block.
He opens the large, heavy door leading out of the anechoic chamber, and loud metal music can be heard blaring from the other side.
The Second He Closes The Door, The Music Is Completely Cut Off.
Gopal opens and closes the door one more time to show the difference in sound level, and it’s absolutely astounding. Absolutely nothing can be heard.
Microsoft Does Not Let The Public Use The Chamber, And That’s Probably A Good Thing.
A similar chamber in Orfield Laboratories in South Minneapolis, which previously held Microsoft’s record, is open to the public. It gets so unbearably quiet, that no one can stand to stay in it longer than 45 minutes .
h/t Unilad
