If you’re one of the many people out there who’d kill for a quiet place just because of some noisy neighbors, be careful what you wish for. Because Microsoft has created a room where you can actually hear your thoughts. Literally.
The company has managed to set a new world record (approved by the Guinness World Record organization, that is) for the quietest room on Earth. That’s the place where the Earth really seems to stand still.
As you can see in the video at the end of the article, Microsoft built the so-called anechoic chamber using sound-absorbing materials, with no echoes created simply because every single sound produced inside the room is instantly absorbed.
Basically, Microsoft claims that it has managed to record a sound that’s only -20dB, which means that it’s very close to the level generated by the Brownian motion, which involves the movement of particles in gas or liquids at -23dB.
“We are the edge of what is the limit of physics in that sense. We have exercised attention to every detail as much as we can. These labs are about creating a rock solid acoustically-controlled environment,” Microsoft researchers explain.
What the room is useful for
So OK, Microsoft has its very own quiet place within Building 87 and that’s very cool, but does it have any other purpose than just helping the company set a new record? Fortunately, yes, it does.
The chamber can be used by Microsoft to test the noise generated by its devices, such as the Surface, which is more important than you’d be tempted to believe for the overall performance of a tablet, for example. We live in a world where devices are quickly migrating to fanless designs, so this chamber could really help build a product that’s as quiet as possible.
Now, let’s just hope that the surface pro has already been tested in this chamber ahead of its October 6 release.
