Application of multi-channel hybrid active noise control systems for infant incubators

High noise in infant incubators results in numerous adverse health effects which have lifelong consequences for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates. This paper presents multi-channel hybrid active noise control (ANC) systems for infant incubators. A hybrid ANC algorithm is an integration of a feedforward algorithm (to cancel noise generated from sources outside the incubator) and a feedback algorithm (to reduce the predictable noise inside the incubator). Computer simulation and real-time experiment results show that the proposed hybrid algorithms are effective in cancelling both outside and inside noises of infant incubators in real NICU environment. (C) 2013 Institute of Noise Control Engineering.