Role of Acoustic Properties in Biomedical Active Noise Control

Abstract

Active noise control (ANC) systems are tailored for user-specific scenarios which are required in biomedical applications due to the physical restrictions in the placement of sensors and actuators. This study examines the role of spectral flatness of acoustic channels and room reflection coefficients in ANC performance. Each room has a unique characteristic response in transforming a source signal. By employing preliminary measurements and numerical simulation, the authors show that improved noise control is possible by optimizing room reverberation and spectral flatness of the secondary acoustic channel. This result has potential application in improving existing ANC systems in biomedical applications like fMRI.