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Improving the measurement and acoustic performance of transparent face masks and shields

Cox, Trevor J.; Dodgson, George; Harris, Lara; Perugia, Emanuele; Stone, Michael A.; Walsh, Michael

Improving the measurement and acoustic performance of transparent face masks and shields Thumbnail


Authors

George Dodgson

Lara Harris

Emanuele Perugia

Michael A. Stone

Michael Walsh



Abstract

Opaque face masks harm communication by preventing speech-reading (lip-reading) and attenuating high-frequency sound. Although transparent masks and shields (visors) with clear plastic inserts allow speech-reading, they usually create more sound attenuation than opaque masks. Consequently, an iterative process was undertaken to create a better design, and the instructions to make it are published. The experiments showed that lowering the mass of the plastic inserts decreases the high-frequency sound attenuation. A shield with a clear thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) panel had an insertion loss of (2.0 ± 1.1) dB for 1.25–8 kHz, which improves on previous designs that had attenuations of 11.9 dB and above. A cloth mask with a TPU insert was designed and had an insertion loss of (4.6 ± 2.3) dB for 2–8 kHz, which is better than the 9–22 dB reported previously in the literature. The speech intelligibility index was also evaluated. Investigations to improve measurement protocols that use either mannikins or human talkers were undertaken. Manufacturing variability and inconsistency of human speaking were greater sources of experimental error than fitting differences. It was shown that measurements from a mannikin could match those from humans if insertion losses from four human talkers were averaged.

Citation

Cox, T. J., Dodgson, G., Harris, L., Perugia, E., Stone, M. A., & Walsh, M. (2022). Improving the measurement and acoustic performance of transparent face masks and shields. ˜The œJournal of the Acoustical Society of America (Online), 151(5), 2931-2944. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0010384

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 16, 2022
Online Publication Date Apr 29, 2022
Publication Date May 1, 2022
Deposit Date Jul 1, 2022
Publicly Available Date Jul 1, 2022
Journal The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Print ISSN 0001-4966
Volume 151
Issue 5
Pages 2931-2944
DOI https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0010384
Keywords Acoustics and Ultrasonics, Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0010384
Related Public URLs https://asa.scitation.org/journal/jas
Additional Information Funders : Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number: EP/V051571/1

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