Simulation of acoustic product properties in virtual environments based on artificial neural networks (ANN)

Acoustic product properties are playing an increasingly important role for product developers and designers. At the one hand the sound of a product has influence on the buying behavior of customers and on the other hand manufacturers have to meet many regulations and standards regarding the sound emissions of their products. Limits for these sound emissions are defined in order to protect humans and the animal world from noise pollution. The paper deals with a concept for acoustic simulation in virtual environments so that the acoustic properties of products can be studied. The concept is based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) which are applicable for many different tasks. With help of the virtual acoustic simulation the acoustic behavior of products or of individual product components can be validated during the whole product development process. In this way, noise pollution can be reduced and a higher compatibility with human health and environment can be reached.