Technical Column
Visualizing Noise with Acoustic Cameras — How Measurement Environments Affect Beamforming Accuracy —
Aug 31, 2025
- HBK × SONORA Acoustic Measurement Solution Official Website
- Technical Column
- Visualizing Noise with Acoustic Cameras — How Measurement Environments Affect Beamforming Accuracy —
Sound Source Localization with Acoustic Camera + Anechoic Chamber
Introduction: Why Noise Troubles Are So Hard to Solve
“You can hear the noise, but can’t find where it’s coming from.”
“The entire engine compartment seems to be buzzing.”
Such issues are common in product development and quality testing.
Acoustic cameras powered by HBK’s beamforming technology offer a solution—but only if measurement conditions are properly controlled.
Poor results like blurry source localization or excessive background noise often stem not from the camera itself, but from the measurement environment.
Environment Matters in Beamforming Measurements
Here’s how different test setups affect acoustic camera performance:
| Environment | Characteristics & Issues |
|---|---|
| Open Field (Outdoors) | Exposed to wind and ambient noise, poor performance in low-frequency range |
| Factory or Warehouse | Strong reflections interfere with localization accuracy |
| Tents or Temporary Booths | Partial sound control, but risk of structure-borne resonance |
To get the most out of HBK’s beamforming, a low-reflection, low-noise space is essential.
Optimizing Beamforming with Anechoic Chambers
At Moritani, we partner with Sonora Technology to provide custom-built acoustic environments such as:
- MFAC (Modular Fully-Anechoic Chamber)
- EAAC (Electroacoustic Anechoic Chamber)
Key Features:
| True Free-Field Conditions | Minimized reflections enable sharper beam focus |
|---|---|
| Floor Reflection Control | Ideal for low-frequency detection accuracy |
| Proven Compatibility with HBK Arrays | Layouts tailored to microphone array geometry and DUT size |
Practical Applications: Acoustic Camera + Anechoic Room
- Localizing abnormal motor sounds in appliances
- Analyzing beam pattern shifts in small engines under varying loads
- Mapping sound radiation from speakers and fans
- Differentiating normal vs abnormal noise in high-precision devices
By combining HBK’s acoustic camera with Sonora’s anechoic design, you achieve not just visibility, but measurable insight into noise sources.
Let’s Talk About Implementation
- Considering beamforming for your noise analysis?
- Want to compare on-site vs chamber-based measurements?
- Need help choosing the right HBK system and room specs?
- Looking to customize array layout or software settings?
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Contact Us
- Contact us by email
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Moritani Shokai
(Machinery Department No. 2, Tokyo Head Office)
Introduction of the Manufacturer
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Hottinger Bruel & Kjaer
HHBK is a merger of two companies: Brüel & Kjær of Denmark and HBM of Germany.
Brüel & Kjær is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of acoustic and vibration measurement instruments, known as a total measurement chain supplier.Learn more about HBK
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Sonora Technology Co., Ltd.
Sonora Technology is a leading Japanese manufacturer of industrial anechoic chambers and anechoic boxes.
From design and manufacturing to installation and acoustic performance assurance, Sonora provides fully integrated solutions to build complete acoustic measurement environments from the ground up.Learn more about Sonora
Contact / Request Brochure
For inquiries or consultations regarding the total solutions provided by HBK × Sonora, please feel free to contact us using the Contact button.
If you would like a brochure sent by mail, please use the Request Brochure button.