Membrane-type elastic metamaterials for noise abatement applications

After some fifteen years of research and development, in addition to further the understanding of fundamental physics, membrane-type elastic meta-materials have evolved into three types of functional devices, namely sound blocking, sound absorption, and vibration damping. These devices are compact, lightweight, broad band, can be made with all metallic components so as to function in extreme environments. These devices are also easy to install. Current research activities include working on the application of these devices in a wide range of areas, such as residential and commercial building sound proof walls and floors/ceilings, trains, motor vehicles, ships, aircraft, highway and railway noise control, factories, construction machinery, power plants, etc..