Acoustics & Privacy Solutions - FMLink https://www.fmlink.com/product-service-category/interior-design-furnishings/acoustics-privacy-solutions/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:32:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://www.fmlink.com/content/uploads/2025/06/cropped-fmlink-favicon-32x32.png Acoustics & Privacy Solutions - FMLink https://www.fmlink.com/product-service-category/interior-design-furnishings/acoustics-privacy-solutions/ 32 32 Design in the open with WiggleRoom Super Structure by KI Wall https://www.fmlink.com/design-in-the-open-with-wiggleroom-super-structure-by-ki-wall/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:43:01 +0000 https://www.fmlink.com/?post_type=product-service&p=49329 WiggleRoom Super Structure offers the ultimate freedom to create flexible spaces where people can concentrate, collaborate or congregate without limits. This freestanding post-and-beam system installs directly on the floor and...

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WiggleRoom Super Structure offers the ultimate freedom to create flexible spaces where people can concentrate, collaborate or congregate without limits. This freestanding post-and-beam system installs directly on the floor and integrates seamlessly with your environment. With options like LED lighting, ventilation fans, integrated power and louvered ceilings, it installs in just days — without disrupting your building’s existing HVAC, lighting, electrical or acoustical systems.

This freestanding post-and-beam system installs directly on the floor and integrates seamlessly with your environment. Image courtesy of KI

Design enclosed offices, conference rooms or open lounges using endlessly customizable combinations of glass and solid walls. Whether used as standalone rooms or linked beneath a single post-and-beam framework, WiggleRoom Super Structure is an architectural solution that optimizes both layout and budget.

Accredited as a Certified Autism Resource by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, WiggleRoom Super Structure also offers a calming escape from sensory overload — giving students and professionals a quiet place to relax, learn or connect. For enhanced acoustic comfort, solid wall panels can be clad in PET felt for additional sound absorption.

Discover the possibilities with WiggleRoom Super Structure at NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, June 9–11. Visit KI Wall in THE MART showroom #1181.

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Johns Manville’s black fiberglass insulation board offers fire resistance and sound control https://www.fmlink.com/johns-manvilles-black-fiberglass-insulation-board-offers-fire-resistance-sound-control/ Thu, 13 Mar 2025 17:28:07 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/johns-manvilles-black-fiberglass-insulation-board-offers-fire-resistance-sound-control/ March 13, 2025 — Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and a leading building products manufacturer, recently announced the release of its new Insul-SHIELD Black, a fiberglass insulation board with...

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March 13, 2025 — Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and a leading building products manufacturer, recently announced the release of its new Insul-SHIELD Black, a fiberglass insulation board with a black core.

Insul-SHIELD Black is very similar to the original Insul-SHIELD, but with a dye added to the fiberglass to create a black core, explains the company. This self-supporting rigid board is ideal for applications like theaters and dark amusement park rides, as the black core reduces the potential for the yellow fiberglass color to show through. It makes an ideal backdrop behind theater screens as it eliminates concern about back scatter into the viewing area.

Insul-SHIELD Black is fire resistant (ASTM E84) and also has excellent sound control with relatively thin boards.

Ashleigh Denman, JM product manager, stated:

Insul-SHIELD Black improves upon our original product with the new black core. The product is now perfect for use in theaters, music studios and amusement park rides by creating a dark core that absorbs unwanted light while providing excellent acoustics.

Insul-SHIELD Black comes in thicknesses of 1-3” and in 2’x4’ or 4’x8’ sized boards for easy installation. It meets all the same specifications and testing requirements as the company’s standard Insul-SHIELD product.

Insul-SHIELD Black Data Sheet, SDS and Product Selector Guide are available on Johns Manville for more information.

Learn more about JM’s complete line of commercial fiberglass building insulation products here.

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Emerson’s new silencer protects industrial workers from gas process noise — without impacting process flow https://www.fmlink.com/emerson-silencer-reduces-gas-process-noise-industrial-workers/ Fri, 25 Mar 2022 07:00:14 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/emerson-silencer-reduces-gas-process-noise-industrial-workers/ March 25, 2022 — Global technology and engineering company Emerson has introduced the Fisher WhisperTube Modal Attenuator for noisy gas or vapor applications in a wide range of industries. The...

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March 25, 2022 — Global technology and engineering company Emerson has introduced the Fisher WhisperTube Modal Attenuator for noisy gas or vapor applications in a wide range of industries. The modal attenuator is a full-bore silencer device offering 15-decibel sound suppression to reduce noise inside pipes produced by sources upstream, such as control valves or other devices. It is installed downstream of these types of devices in place of a pipe spool piece, generates no additional pressure drop, and has no impact on process flow, says the company.

Emerson Fisher WhisperTube Modal Attenuator
Emerson introduced the Fisher WhisperTube Modal Attenuator for noisy gas or vapor applications in a wide range of industries. Image courtesy Emerson

Industrial users have long searched for a solution to reduce process piping noise, but until now all solutions have generated significant pressure drop, reduced flow, and/or introduced obstructions, according to Emerson. This has led some users to install acoustic insulation to pipe sections to reduce noise, but this can be very costly and cumbersome to install, and it does nothing to reduce internal piping noise.

The modal attenuator reportedly addresses these and other issues with a drop-in solution, improving worker safety and regulatory compliance, while reducing the risk of damage to downstream equipment due to high noise levels internal to piping.

Emerson silencer
The silencer consists of acoustic cavities of varying sizes surrounding a full bore perforated tube. Each cavity generates destructive interference over a range of frequencies to provide significant noise reduction across a broad spectrum. Image courtesy Emerson

Leading applications for the silencer include those where upstream process flows are changed by control valves, pressure relief valves, pumps, compressors, and other devices that generate noise. Many of these devices must be installed in lengths of piping with no-flow restrictions downstream, and the modal attenuator works particularly well in these applications because it introduces no such restrictions.

Unlike other noise suppression solutions, the modal attenuator does not introduce an obstruction into the piping, so it can be used in applications where particulates are suspended in process flows, and/or where pigging is required for cleaning and maintenance.

WhisperTube devices are offered in sizes from 2” to 12”, with American Society of Mechanical Engineer (ASME) flange ratings of Class 150, 300 and 600. Pressure ratings match the flange rating sizes, and the maximum temperature is 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more information about the Fisher 6060 WhisperTube Modal Attenuator, visit the Emerson website. The company provides innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial and residential markets.

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Studio TK’s screen-backed lounge chairs offer privacy, functionality and collaboration in public spaces https://www.fmlink.com/studio-tks-screened-lounge-chairs-privacy-public-spaces/ Fri, 04 Mar 2022 23:12:23 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/studio-tks-screened-lounge-chairs-privacy-public-spaces/ March 4, 2022 — Innovative furniture designer and manufacturer Studio TK has just announced the launch of the Libelle group of lounge chairs, designed by Khodi Feiz for Studio TK....

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March 4, 2022 — Innovative furniture designer and manufacturer Studio TK has just announced the launch of the Libelle group of lounge chairs, designed by Khodi Feiz for Studio TK. Libelle was created to deliver a sense of privacy and offer a personal escape while providing enough flexibility to allow for small collaborative interactions.

Studio TK Libelle lounge chairs
Libelle, designed by Khodi Feiz for Studio TK, delivers privacy and functionality while providing enough flexibility for small collaborative interactions. Image courtesy Studio TK

Khodi Feiz, founder and industrial designer of Feiz Design Studio, explained:

We were exploring the notion of privacy within a social context. Just as important as having one-on-one interactions, it’s important to define privacy with a public space so that we can work on our own, focus, and go deep in ways that feel closed off from our surrounding environment and yet are deeply embedded within it.

Dutch for “Dragonfly,” Libelle is a functional and whimsical collection of seating options, including a pouf, a low-back lounge chair, and a lounge chair with a high-back privacy screen.

The Libelle lounge with privacy back incorporates a transparent knit mesh to offer solitude for personal escapes and small impromptu meetings. Libelle’s knit mesh delivers visual privacy without obstructing the workplace landscape. The transparency of the mesh allows the user to have visual privacy while signaling to others that the piece is occupied and avoids a surprising interaction when multiple colleagues are vying for its vacancy.

An optional tablet arm is a versatile addition that will enhance functionality and be installed after it’s placed, to either the left or right side. The laidback but sophisticated style of Libelle can be perfect for today’s flexible work environment.

Libelle’s 3D knit semi-transparent screen has 11 finishes to choose from. The base is available in a variety of powder coat finishes, and the tablet surface comes in both wood veneer and laminate options. Together, the ability to customize Libelle to fit each user’s options leads to a vast number of possibilities for personalized chairs.

For more information about Libelle, visit Studio TK’s product page.

Studio TK is a brand of Teknion. See additional product information relevant to facilities managers on Teknion’s FMLink mini-page.

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Best of NeoCon 2021 winners announced; DARRAN Furniture wins Best of Competition for groundbreaking workspace system https://www.fmlink.com/best-of-neocon-2021-winners-darran-furniture-boc/ Mon, 04 Oct 2021 14:00:14 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/best-of-neocon-2021-winners-darran-furniture-boc/ October 4, 2021 — The NeoCon commercial interiors show has just unveiled the winners of the 30th edition of the highly coveted Best of NeoCon Awards. Each year, top manufacturers...

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October 4, 2021 — The NeoCon commercial interiors show has just unveiled the winners of the 30th edition of the highly coveted Best of NeoCon Awards. Each year, top manufacturers across the commercial design industry compete for recognition for their latest product introductions. This year, the highest award of Best in Competition went to DARRAN Furniture for Honey, a groundbreaking furniture system.

BoN DARRAN Honey
DARRAN Furniture’s Honey won the Best of Competition for its groundbreaking design. Image courtesy DARRAN

Best of NeoCon Awards are judged by a highly qualified jury with a unique composition of leading architects, designers, specifiers, enterprise clients and facilities managers. After several days of in-person judging and on-site deliberation, a group of 50 Best of NeoCon jurors selected the products for their overall excellence and positive contribution to the built environment.

The 97 awards, in 52 categories that ranged from acoustics to lighting, upholstery, flooring and furniture, were officially announced this morning, Monday, October 4, at a celebratory breakfast at theMART. The event was presided over by industry veteran and Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of officeinsight Bob Beck.

The Best of NeoCon Awards have been an institution at NeoCon since 1990. Awards Competition Director Eileen McMorrow of The McMorrow Reports led this year’s jury through an extensive two-day in-person judging process.

Lisa Simonian, VP of Marketing for NeoCon, commented:

We tip our hat to all of the Best of NeoCon entrants and extend our congratulations to the winners. It is no small feat to garner this level of recognition and accolades from such a discerning group of industry professionals.

The Best of Competition 2021 award winner, Honey by DARRAN Furniture, is a stylish, highly adaptable workplace system. Designed by Mark Müller and Christopher Wright, the innovative solution addresses individual users’ needs, their varied work styles, privacy and well-being.

The BoN jury noted:

What a beautiful, well-considered workstation! Suitable for both fixed and mobile (untethered) applications, Honey’s hexagonal shape is not only eye-catching, it contributes to space efficiency. Its 120° planning grid creates a flowing geometry that meanders through a room and offers numerous configuration possibilities. Even the smallest details were considered and well-executed.

See the full list of winners below. They are organized by category, award, company and product.

Best of Competition

  • Best of Competition: DARRAN Furniture Honey

Acoustics & Privacy

  • Acoustic Solutions — SILVER: Snowsound USA Dunes
  • Acoustic Solutions — INNOVATION: Snowsound USA Dunes
  • Panels/Partitions/Screens/Space Dividers — GOLD: Stylex Still
  • Panels/Partitions/Screens/Space Dividers — SILVER: Haworth, Inc. Pergola
  • Work Pods — GOLD: SnapCab Work+
  • Work Pods — SILVER: Framery Framery One
  • Work Pods — INNOVATION: Silen OÜ MindSpa

Flooring

  • Carpet: Area Rugs — GOLD: Mohawk Group Rheo Morph
  • Carpet: Broadloom — GOLD: Mohawk Group Urban Shores
  • Carpet: Broadloom —  SILVER: Patcraft Inspired Connection
  • Carpet: Modular — GOLD: Shaw Contract Collective Collection
  • Carpet: Modular — SILVER: Patcraft Spatial Palette
  • Carpet: Modular — SUSTAINABILITY: Mohawk Group Data Tide
  • Hard-Surface Flooring: Natural Materials — GOLD: Tarkett Color Splash Speckled Rubber Tile
  • Hard-Surface Flooring: Vinyl/LVT — GOLD: Armstrong Flooring Rest & Refuge Rigid Core Flooring
  • Hard-Surface Flooring: Vinyl/LVT — SILVER: Teknoflor Aspecta Contours
  • Specialty Flooring — SUSTAINABILITY: Shaw Contract Bottle Floor
  • Specialty Flooring — INNOVATION: Shaw Contract Bottle Floor

Furniture

Teknion’s Byward garnered a Silver award in the Case Goods category. Image courtesy Teknion

  • Benching — GOLD: Mantra Inspired Furniture Ellis Benching System
  • Case Goods — SILVER: Teknion Byward
  • Collections for Collaboration — GOLD: Watson Furniture Group Watson Haven
  • Collections for Collaboration — SILVER: The Senator Group Play
  • Conference Room Furniture — GOLD: Watson Furniture Group Watson Haven
  • Conference Room Furniture — SILVER: HALCON CREW
  • Furniture Systems & Enhancements — GOLD: DARRAN Furniture Honey
  • Furniture Systems & Enhancements — SILVER: Dfm BLEND Mobile
  • Lounge Furniture Collections — SILVER: Davis Furniture Industries Cantina
  • Seating: Benches — GOLD: Watson Furniture Group Watson Haven Recharge Benches
  • Seating: Conference — GOLD: Andreu World Capri Executive
  • Seating: Conference — SILVER: Davis Furniture Industries LightWork
  • Seating: Ergonomic Desk/Task — GOLD: Studio TK Essa
  • Seating: Ergonomic Desk/Task — SILVER: via seating Onda
  • Seating: Guest — GOLD: ECONYL x Aquafil noho move Chair
  • Seating: Guest — SILVER: Andreu World Liceo
  • Seating: Guest — SUSTAINABILITY: ECONYL x Aquafil noho move Chair
  • Seating: Modular — GOLD: Allsteel Jetty:Mod
  • Seating: Modular — SILVER: Davis Furniture Industries SoMod
  • Seating: Modular — SUSTAINABILITY: Andreu World Forest Club
  • Seating: Sofas & Lounge — GOLD: Andreu World Nuez Lounge BIO
  • Seating: Sofas & Lounge — SILVER: Andreu World Adela Rex
  • Seating: Sofas & Lounge — SUSTAINABILITY: Andreu World Nuez Lounge BIO
  • Seating: Sofas & Lounge — INNOVATION: Andreu World Adela Rex
  • Seating: Stacking — GOLD: via seating Eclipse
  • Seating: Stacking — SILVER: SitOnIt Seating | IDEON Sprout
  • Seating: Stools — GOLD: Stylex Underline
  • Seating: Stools — SILVER: Davis Furniture Industries Sachet Barstool
  • Storage — GOLD: Watson Furniture Group C9 Trolley
  • Storage — SILVER: HALCON CREW
  • Tables: Communal — GOLD: Watson Furniture Group Watson Haven
  • Tables: Communal — SILVER: Groupe Lacasse QUORUM MULTICONFERENCE by Lacasse
  • Tables: Conference — GOLD: Davis Furniture Industries Tavo
  • Tables: Conference — SILVER: Nucraft Ascari Conference
  • Tables: Height-Adjustable — SILVER: Nucraft Two4Six Media Table
  • Tables: Occasional — GOLD: Scandinavian Spaces Tinnef
  • Tables: Occasional — SILVER: Stylex Trim
  • Tables: Occasional — SUSTAINABILITY: Scandinavian Spaces Tinnef
  • Tables: Occasional — INNOVATION: Scandinavian Spaces Tinnef
  • Tables: Task — GOLD: Steelcase Elbrook Table Collection
  • Tables: Task — SILVER: HALCON CREW
  • Tables: Task — INNOVATION: Steelcase Elbrook Table Collection
  • Work from Home Solutions — SILVER: Otelier Eat-Work Table (Linak Showroom)
  • Workplace Accessories — GOLD HALCON: HALO Hand Sanitizer Station

Healthcare

  • Flooring — GOLD: Armstrong Flooring MedinPure PVC-Free Sheet
  • Guest & Lounge Seating — GOLD: Kwalu Modena Lounge Collection
  • Guest & Lounge Seating — SILVER: Kwalu Cori Lounge and Wingback
  • Patient Seating — GOLD: Kwalu Modena Patient Chair and Ottoman
  • Storage & Accessories — GOLD: GMI Companies – Ghent, VividBoard & Waddell Swing Changeable Glassboard
  • Textiles — GOLD: CF Stinson C.A.R.E. x Stinson
  • Textiles — SILVER: Momentum Group Every Space Has a Story

Interior Products & Solutions

  • Architectural Products — GOLD: CARVART modularWALLCLAD
  • Signage & Wayfinding — GOLD: Vestaboard, Inc. Vestaboard
  • Signage & Wayfinding — SILVER: APCO Signs Aspire
  • Surfacing Materials & Finishes — SILVER: 3form Flek Pure
  • Surfacing Materials & Finishes — INNOVATION: Kwalu Metallics that Aren’t Metal?
  • Wall Treatments — GOLD: Wolf-Gordon CLAIR
  • Wall Treatments — SILVER: Momentum Group P3TEC Advanced Wall Protection Collection

Lighting

  • Decorative — SUSTAINABILITY: LightArt Coil Collection Naturals
  • Task — SILVER: Koncept, Inc. Z-Bar Generation 4

Outdoor

  • Furniture: Seating — GOLD: Allermuir CROP
  • Furniture: Seating — SILVER: Davis Furniture Industries Ariel Steel
  • Furniture: Tables — GOLD: Allsteel Constellation
  • Furniture: Tables — SILVER: JANUS et Cie AllSize Extendable Dining Table Rectangle
  • Furniture: Tables — SUSTAINABILITY: Allsteel Constellation
  • Furniture: Tables — INNOVATION: Allsteel Constellation

Technology

  • Accessories & Support Devices — GOLD: Zgo Technologies Zdock
  • Accessories & Support Devices — SILVER: Steelcase DeskWizard
  • Integrated Solutions — GOLD: Configura Stage, a Web-Based Product Configurator
  • Integrated Solutions — SILVER: Scanomat TopBrewer
  • Integrated Solutions — SUSTAINABILITY: Reseat Reseat
  • Integrated Solutions — INNOVATION: ERGOBOND ERGOHUB – Upgrades Any Standing Desk

Textiles

  • Performance & Specialty — GOLD: Arc|Com Summit and Equinox
  • Performance & Specialty — SILVER: Wolf-Gordon Sirona
  • Performance & Specialty — INNOVATION: Camira Fabrics Camira Knit
  • Upholstery — GOLD: Camira Fabrics SEAQUAL Collection
  • Upholstery — SILVER: Momentum Group Aleksandra Gaca Collection
  • Upholstery  — SUSTAINABILITY: Camira Fabrics SEAQUAL Collection

This year’s Best of NeoCon winners received a striking sculptural object designed by award-winning graphic design firm Maiarelli Studio and manufactured by 3form using its Chroma material. The commemorative object is composed of translucent resin in Best of NeoCon’s signature blue hue.

Photos of each winner and entrant are posted on the Gallery of all the Entrants & Winners webpage.

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These acoustic room dividers and desk panels can help you carve out workspaces, reduce noise and direct foot traffic https://www.fmlink.com/buzzispace-acoustic-room-dividers-desk-panels-define-workspaces/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 07:00:15 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/buzzispace-acoustic-room-dividers-desk-panels-define-workspaces/ June 23, 2021 — BuzziSpace, a Belgium-based designer of human-centric acoustic solutions, lighting and furnishings, recently introduced a new way of defining a space with BuzziShield, a collection of room...

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June 23, 2021 — BuzziSpace, a Belgium-based designer of human-centric acoustic solutions, lighting and furnishings, recently introduced a new way of defining a space with BuzziShield, a collection of room dividers and desk panels that come in a wide range of configurations and sizes to accommodate different interior needs.

BuzziShield Hook room dividers.
BuzziShield Hook room dividers. Image courtesy BuzziSpace

The BuzziShield partition panel collection helps define space while simultaneously performing acoustically to absorb excessive noise at the workplace, creating a cocoon feeling. Three products offered — BuzziShield Hook, BuzziShield Free, and BuzziShield Desk — perform different functions in the office environment to create a cohesive yet fun visual language to ensure a happier and happier workplace.

BuzziShield Hook and BuzziShield Free are architectural in execution and sculptural in form to carve out designated spaces, especially within open-office settings, to support privacy, concentration, collaboration and more. The interior panels offer optimal noise reduction thanks to their 2.8-inch-thick upholstered body and geometric shape, making them fun and exciting alternatives to traditional dividers seen ubiquitously in the workplace, such as “bleak” glass and wood panels, says BuzziSpace.

BuzziShield Free room divider and BuzziShield Desk desk partition.
BuzziShield Free room divider and BuzziShield Desk desk partition. Image courtesy BuzziSpace

BuzziShield Hook comes in four different configurations: Wedge Right, Wedge Left, Flat Right, and Flat Left, while BuzziShield Free is offered in two width options: 47 and 63 inches. Both products have two height options: medium (59 inches) and high (71 inches).

Users can group BuzziShield Hook and BuzziShield Free together to bring softness feeling and a touch of color, or have them stand alone in a room to create new possibilities and expressions to delineate space. One panel can also work as a desk partition, while multiple panels help create different zones and direct foot traffic in communal areas.

BuzziShield Desk offers tabletop application possibilities to round out the versatile collection. Similar to the office dividers, this product provides visual privacy and noise reduction at communal or personal workstations. This soft and pinnable desk partition can be easily installed on top of a table by placing it on a metal baseplate or fastened to the edge of a desk with “invisible fixes.” BuzziShield Desk is available in two different heights (15.7” and 23.6”) as well as three length options to further its application possibilities.

Further customization can be done to the entire BuzziShield collection — choose from a variety of BuzziSpace signature fabrics and colors to further personalize the workplace with this unexpected and eye-catching design element.

For more information about BuzziShield Hook and BuzziShield Free room dividers and BuzziShield Desk desk partitions, visit the BuzziSpace website.

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Cut down on open-plan noise in style, with these vertical acoustic products https://www.fmlink.com/unika-vaev-acoustic-products-open-plan-noise/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:00:18 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/unika-vaev-acoustic-products-open-plan-noise/ March 10, 2021 — Unika Vaev, a provider of fresh solutions for contract textile and acoustical needs, has just announced the addition of new acoustic products from Abstracta — Air-X...

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March 10, 2021 — Unika Vaev, a provider of fresh solutions for contract textile and acoustical needs, has just announced the addition of new acoustic products from Abstracta — Air-X and Scala XL.

Air-X

Unika Vaev extended its Air Collection with Air-X. Stefan Borselius designed the first Air product, Airflake, in 2006. The Air Series has been a very successful collection for the last 15 years; it is designed to make a space pleasing for both your ears and eyes.

Unika Vaev Air-X acoustic hanging product
The hanging Air-X modules use molded felt covered in fabric for noise absorption and echo cancellation. Image courtesy Unika Vaev

Borselius took inspiration from geometry and nature for his Air designs — such as the shape of flowers, snowflakes, leaves and abstract figures. The Air-X design enters a world of symbols, typography and letters that allow the creation of an infinite number of configurations.

The Air-X modules are constructed of molded felt covered in fabric, providing excellent noise absorption and echo cancellation, according to Unika Vaev.

Scala XL

Unika Vaev also introduced a larger version of Scala — Scala XL. The designer Anya Sebton introduced the original Scala in 2017 after visiting Iceland. Sebton was inspired by the corrugated metal siding and roof on the Icelandic houses.

Unika Vaev Scala XL acoustic product
Scala XL’s increased size amplifies its acoustic capacity and gives it a bold, sculptural appearance. Image courtesy Unika Vaev

Scala XL was developed to improve the soundscape in large and noisy spaces. Scala XL’s interplay of shape and material has a powerful sound-absorbing effect. The increased size amplifies its acoustic capacity and gives it a bold, sculptural appearance.

The new Scala design is inspired by arched roofs and columns. Scala XL is available in a concave or a convex version.

For more information about Air-X or Scala XL acoustic products, visit the Unika Vaev website.

Unika Vaev was founded in 1975 and currently provides a wide range of solutions for contract textile applications. Unika Vaev’s extensive Acoustic Product Collection provides multiple functional and aesthetically pleasing sound absorption and diffusion solutions for ceiling, wall, floor, stationary and movable screens.

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Workers in the services sector may have a higher risk of hearing loss than expected, finds this NIOSH study https://www.fmlink.com/hearing-loss-services-sector-elevated-risk/ Fri, 14 Aug 2020 07:00:17 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/hearing-loss-services-sector-elevated-risk/ August 14, 2020 — New research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that a large number of noise-exposed workers within the Services industry sector, the...

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August 14, 2020 — New research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that a large number of noise-exposed workers within the Services industry sector, the largest sector in US industry, have an elevated risk of hearing loss. The new study was recently published in the International Journal of Audiology.

Workers who are exposed to hazardous noise or chemicals that damage hearing can experience occupational hearing loss. Hazardous noise exposure is also associated with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Hearing loss often co-occurs with tinnitus (“ringing in the ears”) and is associated with depression and cognitive decline.

The Mining, Construction, and Manufacturing sectors are recognized as having high percentages of workers exposed to hazardous noise, and therefore at higher risk of hearing loss. However, researchers identified sub-sectors within the Services sector that were also at higher risk for hearing loss.

The Services sector consists of a wide variety of services, including: newspaper, music and software publishing; renting and leasing; financial transactions; legal advice and representation; overseeing and managing governmental programs; security and surveillance; educational training; entertainment and recreation; accommodations and food service; machinery repairing; dry cleaning and laundry; and landscaping.

Researchers examined audiograms for 1.9 million noise-exposed workers across all industries, including audiograms for 158,436 Services workers. The main findings included:

  • The prevalence of hearing loss within Services was 17%, very close to the prevalence of all industries combined (16%).
  • However, many sub-sectors greatly exceeded the overall prevalence by large percentages (10-33% higher), and many had high risks for hearing loss.
  • Workers in Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development had the highest prevalence (50%),
  • Workers in Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators had more than double the risk, the highest of any sub-sector.
  • Some sub-sectors traditionally viewed as “low-risk” also had higher than expected prevalences and/or risks, such as professional and technical services and schools. For example, Custom Computer Programming Services, and Elementary and Secondary Schools, had prevalences of 35% and 26%, respectively.

Hearing loss prevention

Occupational hearing loss is preventable. For general occupational hearing loss prevention, NIOSH recommends removing or reducing noise at the source using the hierarchy of controls, and when noise cannot be reduced to safe levels, implementing an effective hearing conservation program.

In the Services sector, additional research and surveillance are needed for sub-sectors for which there is low awareness of hearing hazards or a lack of hearing data. It is very important to identify the at-risk workers in these sub-sectors and protect their hearing, with the help of targeted interventions, asserts NIOSH.

The study, “Prevalence of Hearing Loss among Noise-exposed Workers within the Services Sector, 2006–2015,” can be found on the IJA website.

To find out more about NIOSH research and Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention, visit the NIOSH website.

For more information on occupational hearing loss surveillance, including industry sector-specific statistics on hearing loss, tinnitus, noise exposure, and other information, visit the Occupational Hearing Loss Surveillance webpage.

NIOSH is the federal institute (under the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]) that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths.

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NeoCon 2020: To help you protect office workers, check out these antimicrobial, noise-dampening desk screens https://www.fmlink.com/frovi-protective-screens-acoustic/ Wed, 29 Jul 2020 07:00:07 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/frovi-protective-screens-acoustic/ July 29, 2020 — As buildings reopen from the pandemic, it is vital that the workplace is adapted to ensure employees can maintain social distancing guidelines and limit the risk...

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July 29, 2020 — As buildings reopen from the pandemic, it is vital that the workplace is adapted to ensure employees can maintain social distancing guidelines and limit the risk of airborne germs being transferred between colleagues. Furniture designer and manufacturer Frövi, a British brand that fuses Scandinavian design with British craftsmanship, recently introduced two new protective screens for workplace safety, Picket and Protect.

Whether dividing individual desk space or an entire office area, the new range of screen solutions is designed to help keep employees safe and healthy and to improve well-being in the modern workplace environment.

Frövi protective screens offer desk partitions designed to be quick and easy to install while improving the feeling of working in a safe environment. At the same time, they help maintain the sense of collaboration and togetherness which is so important when your team returns to the workplace.

Picket: felt modular screening system

Picket is a modular screening system made with antimicrobial Safe Felt that enables users to creatively divide work surfaces, allowing safe working with added aesthetic and acoustic advantages. Profiled to accommodate cable management, the protective screens feature brackets with removable fixing pads, and they are designed to roll up easily for storage.

Frövi Picket felt protective screens
Picket is a modular screening system made with antimicrobial Safe Felt that enables safe working, with aesthetic and acoustic benefits. Image courtesy Frövi

Made with recycled PET, the system is customizable — able to fit and cut to size — and is available now, in a range of six colors.

Protect: plastic protective screens

Protect is an adaptable plastic screening product designed to be quick and easy to assemble and install into any workplace. The protective screens are made of durable, easy-to-clean frosted polypropylene plastic material, which is also recyclable when it comes to the end of its use, making Protect a great temporary screen solution.

 

Protect frosted polypropylene protective screens are quick and easy to assemble and install, easy to clean, and recyclable at end of use, making a great temporary screen solution. Image courtesy Frövi

Adjustable to fit all sizes of existing work surfaces, the screens are profiled to accommodate cable management and can easily be removed to clean and sanitize. The screens are available now to order.

Click on the links above to find out more about the new protective screens, and visit the Frövi website to find out more about the company’s home office solutions or its new Colony octagonal, space-within-a-space metal pod structures.

Frövi designs and manufactures innovative furniture for social spaces, created in-house from the ground up and crafted to meet the growing demand for a new approach to communal areas within the workplace.

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NeoCon 2020: If you need places for open-office workers to collaborate or work quietly, check out these acoustic pods https://www.fmlink.com/dauphin-acoustic-pods-open-office-workers/ Fri, 17 Jul 2020 07:00:05 +0000 http://v4.fmlink.client.tagonline.com/dauphin-acoustic-pods-open-office-workers/ July 17, 2020 — Adding to its existing range of collaborative and privacy solutions, commercial seating provider Dauphin is introducing Bosse Series 2 Acoustic Pods and the Bosse Series 4...

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July 17, 2020 — Adding to its existing range of collaborative and privacy solutions, commercial seating provider Dauphin is introducing Bosse Series 2 Acoustic Pods and the Bosse Series 4 Room-in-Room System to the Americas market. This innovative product range is the result of 40 years of Bosse’s experience delivering room-in-room solutions to global workplaces.

Designed with a sleek aesthetic and acoustic privacy in mind, these Bosse products measure noise reductions of 37-39 decibels in Rw (Weighted Sound Reduction) tests, according to the company.

Bosse Series 2 Telephone Acoutic Pods
Engineered for acoustic privacy, the Bosse Series 2 Telephone Pod offers an optional adjustable-height rail system for the work shelf, with integrated power and USB connections available. Image courtesy Dauphin

All models are powered by an easy plug-and-play system that can be inserted into a nearby duplex outlet. Acoustic Pods and Room-in-Rooms can be moved to different locations when needed, re-assembled and ready for use the same day.

Both Series 2 and Series 4 offer quiet ventilation systems with an air exchange rate of 50 times per hour, engineered to keep their interior environments a comfortable temperature. An integrated motion sensor automatically turns on the LED lighting and ventilation system when someone enters, and powers off when unoccupied.

Bosse Series 2 Acoustic Pods

Bosse Series 2 Acoustic Pods consist of three models: a telephone pod, dialogue pod and collaboration pod. These structures are made of steel and are available in black or white frames. Exterior wall panels can be customized with a selection of eight neutral colors or four natural wood finishes. To optimize space outside the pod, the exterior walls can also be equipped with magnetic white board.

Bosse Series 2 Dialogue Acoutic Pods
Designed with a quiet ventilation system, the Bosse Series 2 Dialogue Pod offers an optional pendant lamp and floor-mounted table base. Image courtesy Dauphin

Interiors can be customized with a selection of 32 acoustic fabrics. To maintain noise reduction levels at least one wall must be covered in fabric. Other acoustic measures include magnetic door closure, felt ceiling and carpeting on the floor.

The Series 2 Telephone Pod includes the additional option of an acoustically effective wall panel in white pine with a rail system that allows the user to adjust the height of the work shelf; integrated power and USB connections are available for the shelf. The Dialogue pod offers an optional pendant lamp and floor-mounted table base.

Bosse Series 4 Room-in-Room System

The Bosse Series 4 Room-in-Room System is available in four different sizes with natural silver or black anodized aluminum frames. Each unit is enclosed in safety glass, with laminated sound insulation film. The frameless glass door is equipped with discrete, almost concealed hinges, magnetic door closure and an elegant sleek handle.

Bosse Series 4 Room-in-Room System
The Bosse Series 4 Room-in-Room System is available in four different sizes. Each unit is enclosed in safety glass, with laminated sound insulation film. Image courtesy Dauphin

Bosse rooms offer high-performance LED lighting with free-form lenses for optimal illumination and the ability to regulate the color temperature with “tunable white” technology. Ventilation can be adjusted by occupants to their individual preference and is available with an optional air quality sensor.

For visual privacy or to optimize usage of space, flexible sliding panels can be installed inside or outside the room. Simple to hang and retrofit at any time, panels move easily on rails and are available as an acoustic panel, melamine or whiteboard. Technology panels to support telecommunication devices for presentations, collaboration or virtual meetings are also available.

For over 40 years, Germany-based Bosse has engineered intelligent and attractive room-in-room solutions for workplaces around the world. Bosse joined the Dauphin Group of companies in 1994 and continues to deliver a range of smart, highly engineered products that support collaboration and focus work, while providing flexibility and functionality.

While its parent company is based in Germany, Dauphin Americas produces desk and ancillary seating, collaborative furniture and acoustic pods at its Americas headquarters in northern New Jersey. The Dauphin brand is said to be known worldwide for its design aesthetic and ergonomic engineering.

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