Incubator-based active noise control device: comparison to ear covers and noise reduction zone quantification

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Acoustics
• Biomedical engineering

Background:

• Neonatal intensive care units (NICU) exceed recommended noise levels, potentially harming infant sleep, weight gain, and health.
• Evaluating novel solutions to mitigate noise exposure in NICU environments is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a new active noise control (ANC) system in reducing noise within an infant incubator.
• To compare the ANC device's performance against traditional foam ear covers.

Main Methods:

• Noise reduction performance of an ANC device and foam ear covers was measured using alarm and voice sounds in a simulated NICU.
• The spatial zone of noise reduction provided by the ANC device was quantified.

Main Results:

• The ANC device achieved greater noise reduction than ear covers in most tested sound sequences.
• Consistent noise reduction was observed across expected infant positions, particularly for frequencies below 1000 Hz.

Conclusions:

• The ANC device demonstrated superior noise reduction capabilities compared to ear covers.
• The ANC system creates a zone of quiet within the incubator, suggesting potential benefits for infant sleep and weight gain.