The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is an international scientific society dedicated to increasing and diffusing the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications. The ASA was instigated by Wallace Waterfall, Floyd Watson, and Vern Oliver Knudsen. On December 27, 1928, approximately 40 scientists and engineers interested in acoustics met at the Bell Telephone Laboratories in New York, NY, to consider the formation of a scientific society for acoustics. Just a few months later, the Acoustical Society of America held its first meeting on May 10-11, 1929, with approximately 450 charter members. In 1931 the Acoustical Society joined with three other scientific societies to form the American Institute of Physics. The Society has 13 technical committees that represent specialized interests in the field of acoustics. The committees organize technical sessions at conferences and are responsible for the representation of their sub-field in ASA publications.
Cloaking devices—it's not just 'Star Trek' anymore
Cloaking devices play a pivotal role in many sci-fi television programs. Scientists are now working to take this technology from the dramatic realm of science fiction and make it real. Amanda D. Hanford, at Pennsylvania State ...
May 10, 2018
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Ultrasonic attack is unlikely, but incidental exposure presents plenty of problems
New technologies for mobile devices may use ultrasonic sound waves for a variety of purposes, from charging your phone when you enter your room to collecting data on which advertisements you watch. Pest deterrents, dog controllers, ...
Decoding tornadoes' infrasound waves
Infrasound waves oscillate at frequencies humans can't hear, but they're extremely useful for monitoring nuclear blasts because infrasound decays so slowly within our atmosphere that it can wrap around Earth multiple times. ...
What does a 'normal' voice sound like?
Have you ever turned the dial on the radio or switched the television channel because you found the quality of the presenter's voice grating? What is it about a person's voice that can be soothing, aggravating or even sensual? ...
Can chimpanzee vocalizations reveal the origins of human language?
It's very difficult to determine when, how and why human language began. While fossil primates provide important clues about human evolution, the sounds they made and the soft tissue involved in making those sounds weren't ...
Synchronizing cochlear signals stimulates brain to 'hear' in stereo
Using both ears to hear increases speech recognition and improves sound localization. In essence, it helps you to identify a friend's voice so you can follow her amusing anecdote over the din of a cocktail party. Ruth Litovsky, ...
Can 'local acoustic treatment' reduce speech distraction within open-plan offices?
Overhearing conversations from nearby workstations can be one of the most distracting aspects of working in an open-plan office. To make these environments less noisy, while still providing acoustic support for speaking and ...
Marine animals can hear us swim, kayak and scuba dive
While it is obvious that things like boats and other water vehicles can be heard by marine life under the water, what about human activities like swimming, canoeing and scuba diving?
What gave early New Orleans jazz clarinets their unique sound?
The hauntingly beautiful "wailing" sounds of early New Orleans jazz clarinets, often featured in brass bands or jazz funerals, are one of the most distinctive instrument styles in American music. The unique sound begs the ...
Disorders of the voice can affect a politician's success
The acoustics of a political speech delivery are known to be a powerful influencer of voter preferences, perhaps giving some credence to the saying, "It's not what you say, but how you say it." Vocal disorders change the ...
