London-based sound engineering project by an LSBU student at the Royal Opera House clinches the young innovator's award for creativity.
London South Bank University PhD Student Wins Award for Innovative Acoustics Research
Eric Ballestero, a PhD student from London South Bank University's Acoustics department, has made a significant breakthrough in the field of acoustics. His research, 'Acoustic conditions in orchestra pits: are metadiffusers a potential solution?', has been recognised with the Young Person's Award for Innovation in Acoustical Engineering 2021 by the Institute of Acoustics.
Before receiving this prestigious award, Ballestero was involved with an acoustic research group at the University of Sheffield. This group developed a technical solution for noise in opera orchestra pits, for which Ballestero was later awarded the Young Person's Award.
The objective of Ballestero's research was to identify noise issues in the Royal Opera House (ROH) orchestra pit and provide a technical solution, as well as create an acoustical improvement that would work in the pit's confined physical space. The research aimed to determine if metadiffusers, a novel approach, could effectively address the noise issues and provide an efficient and cost-effective solution.
The use of ultra-thin diffuser designs in the world's first broadband metamaterial to diffuse sound was a key part of Ballestero's research. This innovation was due to the limited space available in the orchestra pit. The novel approach involved the use of metadiffusers as a potential solution to improve acoustics in the confined space of the orchestra pit.
Professor Stephen Dance, Head of the Acoustics department at London South Bank University, has expressed praise for Ballestero's research. He believes that the research will help protect the hearing of musicians performing in the ROH orchestra pit. Moreover, he suggests that the research could also protect the hearing of future generations of musicians performing in various venues worldwide.
Stephen Dance also highlights the potential impact of Ballestero's research on the overall performance quality of productions at various venues. He believes that the research could lead to improvements in the acoustics of orchestra pits, potentially enhancing the overall performance quality of productions at the Royal Opera House and beyond.
The research project's significance lies not only in its potential application to the ROH but also to other orchestra pits and confined acoustic spaces. Ballestero's research could have far-reaching implications, improving the acoustics of various performance spaces and protecting the hearing of musicians worldwide.
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