A collaborative project by KAIST Professor Seok-Hyung Bae of the Department of Industrial Design, Chief Executive Officer Young-Gi Kim of SM Instruments Limited, and Chief Executive Officer Mong-koo Chung of Hyundai Motors, the portable acoustic camera has been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for product design.
Drivers of automobiles might experience sudden noises from their vehicles. All too often these aberrant sounds come from errors in vehicular design or from worn out parts that may potentially cause catastrophic failure. Despite this, it is quite difficult to identify the exact location and source of the sound without special equipment.
However, the portable acoustic camera can enable detection of the source of noise using a microphone arrangement to express the distribution of sound, just as thermal imaging cameras show the distribution of temperature. The gradient of sound in the environment is displayed as bands of color.
Despite their potential applications, not only are extant acoustic cameras too heavy and cumbersome, but also their assembly and installation are quite complex. For example, they must always be fixed on a tripod, a requirement that is very difficult to fulfill inside the limited space of a typical car.
The newly developed product is an all-in-one system resolving the inconvenience of microphone assembly before taking measurements. Moreover, the handle in the middle is ergonomically designed so that users can balance its weight with one hand. The two handles on the sides work as extra supports and enable the user to hold the camera in various ways of convenience. With this instrument, users can easily scan small areas and tight corners for noises.
At the award ceremony, Professor Seok-Hyung Bae commented, “This is an effective combination of cutting edge technology and ergonomic design principles.” He also said, “It shows the competency of the KAIST’s Department of Industrial Design, which has a thorough understanding of science and technology.”
It is worth noting that SM Instruments itself is a sound vibration specialist company, which was born out of KAIST’s Technology Business Incubation Center in 2006. From there it earned its stripes by developing proprietary technology in only two years. SM Instruments is contributing in developing national sound and vibration technology through continuous change and innovation.