Orfield Labs in Minneapolis is Home to the World's Quietest Room
Posted on April 27, 2012
Orfield Labs in Minneapolis contains an anechoic test chamber, which is billed as the quietest room in the world. Minnesota Public Radio reports that the sound level in the room has been measured at -9 decibels. Sound does not echo off the walls in the room. It is absorbed. You can hear your own heartbeat, lung flow, stomach and inner ear noises inside the ultra quiet room. Here is an animation of the chamber from NMA News. Take a look:
Gizmodo reports that if you are in the chamber for too long your brain will start to fabricate sounds that are not there. The Star Tribune has a video here of what it looks inside the chamber. Here is a video from an acoustics class field trip to Orfield labs and inside the anechoic chamber. Take a look:
You can find the website for Orfield Labs here.