Use of bone conduction mechanisms for subjective evaluation of sound-absorbing properties of materials

The purpose of the work is to theoretically and experimentally justify the use of bone conduction for the subjective evaluation of sound-absorbing properties of materials. Existing proteosome, in most cases, is to block the air pathways of sound to the cochlea. Their efficiency does not exceed the sound level of more than 100-110 dBA. Simplified (objective) and subjective methods have been developed to evaluate the acoustic efficiency of antinoise. In workplaces where the noise level is higher, it is necessary to use an antinoise helmet, which is designed to protect not only the air path of sound, but also the bone and tissue structures of the head. This is due to the need to overlap the bony pathway of sound to the cochlea. There are no standard methods for evaluating the effectiveness of an antinoise helmet. The authors proposed to use an audiometer to assess sound absorption. The method of tonal audiometry conducted experimental studies to assess the sound absorption of samples from various materials, packages of 2-4 layers of materials and antinoise helmet. The results obtained practically corresponded to the data obtained using the methods used to evaluate the acoustic efficiency of the antinoise helmet. Using mathematical methods, the effectiveness of the method proposed by the authors on the basis of a tonal audiometer for evaluating the sound absorption of materials and extraaural means of noise protection is proved. Evaluation of sound absorption using bone conduction in tonal audiometry can be used as a subjective method for evaluating the acoustic effectiveness of extraaural personal noise protection equipment.