Active Noise Abatement Systems for Automobiles

ARPA has identified an important need for improved noise abatement while providing increased fuel economy for automobiles and other motor driven vehicles. This proposal is responsive to this need. It provides for a Phase I project to design and prove the feasibility of a noise abatement device for use on automobiles instead of conventional resonators and mufflers. This concept uses active noise abatement techniques. Prior art has limited these techniques to known and regular noise generation such as sixty cycle hum in commercial power generation systems. The innovation opportunity here is to extend, or rather develop new technology which will enable this approach to work on irregular noise such as that generated by the exhaust from automobiles. The proposed approach utilizes digital techniques to construct an equal and opposite sound wave to effectively cancel the noise source. Other innovative components include the sensor for sensing the noise and the transducer for countering the noise. Anticipated Benefits: There are many automobiles. Each one is a potential customer for this improved technique which will reduce noise and improve fuel economy, thus saving fel and reducing the consumption of fuel in motor vehicles. It is anticipated that there will be a broad market for this product both within and out of government.