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Couldn't find the original idea here about silent vacuums but after doing a little research it seems like the main reason they failed to catch on back in the 40's when they were first introduced was that women didn't think they were worked as well because they couldn't hear them. We have the technology
now that would allow them to flip a switch on and off to confirm it was working whenever they want. The bagless systems also let you see them working. In addition to these enhancements we could have a light bar displayed on the handle of the cleaner. The harder the vacuum worked (like when it sucks up a small throw rug), the higher the light would rise up on the bar.
[link]
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I get the feeling you're going to get negative feedback on this one because . . . //in the 40's when they were first introduced // |
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You're right, I could get a lot of negative feedback on this one. I'm used to it though. (Which should tell me something, eh?) |
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The main thrust of this idea is that we could design the cleaners to make their sound optional. I don't think there's a model like that out on the market now. |
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It'd also be nice if dentist's drills were made optional. If the lack of sound makes us think something's not working it would be just fine with me to be fooled into thinking the drill wasn't working. |
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Yikes. Well, what technology did they use to make them silent? Is it possible that they didn't actually clean as well? I only ask because I'm completely unfamiliar with the concept. (It'd probably be pretty hard to make the sound of a Dremel tool on calcium chunks silent. Even still, that lovely high-frequency, short-wavelength vibration would still tingle so delicately through your skull. Yum!) |
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The technology behind Selwyn Wright's 'Silent Machine' would be used this time around to shut off the noise. There was an article about him and it in New Scientist but it's in the archives so I couln't link to it. |
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Even if the motor was silent, wouldn't there be a sucking sound coming from the air rushing into the pipe? |
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Theoretically any sound could be silenced. Here's an excerpt from the article. |
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"It works by analysing the stream of sound waves from a noise source, and generating sound that is exactly out of phase and neutralises the incoming sound waves." |
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Yes, I've heard of noise cancelling systems like this, but I have always wondered if they work all that well. This is because I think it would be difficult to cancel the noise when the sound waves are coming from different directions.
An earplug would work quite well, since the sound is mostly going in one direction (into your ear). I have no problem with imagining that, but when the noise cancelling is fitted on the vacuum cleaner I have no idea how that could work. I hope you can find a link that shows how it is done. |
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25 years old, and such a wealth of experience. Of course, the older vacuum cleaners were hand pumped. Sorry, couldn't resist. |
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Dentists can use lasers to blast away decay; they're pretty quiet. |
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