At Texas A&M University, an unusual experiment is using the power of song to improve airplane design.
Instead of a traditional lab setup, researchers invited choir singers to help test a new sound-tracking device that could lead to quieter commercial and military aircraft.
Led by aerospace engineering professor Dr. Darren Hartl and Ph.D. student Kevin Lieb, the project focuses on developing an advanced acoustic imaging system.
This system, built by students, uses dozens of microphones to detect exactly where sounds are coming from, essentially allowing engineers to “see” sound.
Previous tests involved placing airplane wings in a wind tunnel to track mechanical noises—but the team wanted to try something more creative this time.
To do that, they invited members of The Century Singers, Texas A&M’s long-standing student choir, to sing in front of the device. The result? A blend of music and engineering that offered both beauty and breakthrough data.
“This experiment wasn’t about answering a specific research question,” said Dr. Hartl. “It was about pushing the instrument’s abilities and trying something more right-brained.”
The team also compared their homemade sound-imaging system with a commercial model. While the commercial version provides quick results, the student-built version uses more microphones, allowing for better accuracy when pinpointing sound sources.
Understanding where sounds come from on an airplane is essential for noise control. Planes can be loud, not just because of engines, but also from moving parts like wing flaps and landing gear.
By knowing the exact source of the noise, engineers can design ways to reduce it. That means a quieter cabin for passengers, better focus for pilots, and less disruption for communities living near airports.
“As cities grow and more houses are built near airports, keeping planes quiet becomes more important,” said Lieb. “This kind of technology helps us not just measure noise, but understand it and do something about it.”
Interestingly, Lieb’s connection with Hartl began years ago in a nontraditional way—when he volunteered to take photos for an experiment. At the time, he was a freshman and a straight-A aerospace engineering student. Now he’s leading cutting-edge research.
The experiment also gave choir students like freshman Hari Vasudevan a new way to think about their voices. “Usually we rely on hearing each other to make adjustments when singing,” he said. “But seeing the science behind our voices gave us a whole new perspective.”
By bringing together art and science, this project shows how creative thinking can push technology forward—and how a choir can help make airplanes a little more peaceful.
https://youtu.be/RfEveXN6xLQ
