09/12/2019
Microsoft’s anechoic chamber on its headquarters in Redmond, Washington currently holds the Guinness World Records as the quietest room in the world. The background noise level inside the room is measured -20.3 decibels, which is below the threshold of human hearing. It is used by engineers to fine-tune their new technologies. Some of the products that were tested in the room are Surface computers, Xbox, and HoloLens.
The faint sounds that are almost inaudible become loud in the quietest room. Most people who stayed in the chamber had heard their breathing, heartbeat, and even the blood flowing in their veins! Others heard their stomachs gurgling and their joints grinding. Many were disturbed by the silence that nobody had ever stayed longer than 45 minutes inside the room.
It was designed by speech and hearing scientist Hundraj Gopal. It is made of six layers of concrete and steel and its floor is made of grids of steel cables. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the chamber are lined with giant wedges of sound-absorbing foam. It also sits on top of vibration damping springs.
Are you brave enough to enter Microsoft’s anechoic chamber?
