Microsoft's Anechoic Chamber Sets Guinness World Record for the Quietest Place on Earth
Posted on October 16, 2015
Microsoft's Anechoic Chamber has set the Guinness World Record for the Quietest place on Earth. The Eckel Anechoic Chamber is located in Microsoft Building 87 in Redmond, Washington. Microsoft wanted the special audio chamber for audio and device testing.
The chamber was built by Eckel Noise Control Technologies. It uses sound-absorbing anechoic wedges which are fit into the chamber's walls, ceilings and door. There are also anti-vibration mounts that help isolate the chamber from the rest of the building’s foundation.
The previous record for the Quietest Place on Earth was -13 dB held by an Eckel anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis. Microsoft's quiet room set a new record at -20.6 dB. Brownian motion (the random movement of particles in the air) is the quietest known sound outside the vacuum of space. It is measured at -23 dB.
The anechoic chamber at Orfield Labs is reportedly so quiet that you can hear your own heartbeat, lung flow, stomach and inner ear noises. Microsoft's new room likely offers this unique experience as well.
Eckel Vice President Jeff Morse says in a statement, "We are absolutely thrilled with the results of our chamber for Microsoft. Not only did we fulfill the requirements they needed for their testing, but we were able to deliver a facility that set a new world record. We couldn't be more honored to have been part of this exciting project."
