Manipulate and Control Sound: How Mathematical Modeling Supports Cutting-Edge Acoustic Metamaterials Research

Steve Cummer, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Duke University, USA

Researchers at Duke University are using numerical modeling to develop metamaterial structures for acoustic cloaking. Steve Cummer, professor of electrical and computer engineering, explained that the acoustic metamaterial designs are optimized through numerical simulations, which are then translated into modern fabrication techniques and experimentally tested. The COMSOL Multiphysics® software enabled Cummer and his team to iterate designs more quickly and identify factors that can be adjusted to hit specific targets.

Acoustic wave scattering from an object is clear: the reflection is quasispecular, the shadow is deep, and a portion of wave power is spread in all directions. An ideal acoustic cloaking shell would eliminate reflection and shadow, while permitting power transmission around the object with virtually no losses.

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