empa

The Swiss aren't generally a people known for making a lot of noise. That's why they're good at hiding money. So maybe it's not surprising that Empa--a Swiss "interdisciplinary research and services institution"--has introduced lightweight, translucent curtains that absorb sound.

Designed via computer simulations by acoustic scientists and material engineers, the curtains blend sound obstruction and redirection with specialized textile properties to reduce decibels in rooms facing noisy adjoining environments. As Empa puts it, "With a gap of 15 cm between curtain and wall, the new developed curtain--depending on the frequency--absorbs up to five times more sound than typical lightweight curtains."

Sound-absorbing materials already exist, of course, but they don't tend to complement the average living room too well--unless you're into the rubber and foam aesthetic. Empa's curtains are the stuff of scientific conferences and published tech papers right now, but the imagination reels (quietly) at the possibilities when these curtains become widely available around the world. It's fun to envision the situations and environments where the curtains would be most desirable--even mandatory. … Read more