Sound of Silence: Binghamton University's Very Quiet Chamber

A Binghamton University researcher sometimes must go to a really quiet place to do his work.

That's when Ron Miles, a distinguished professor in the school's mechanical engineering department, enters a special room called an anechoic chamber in the Innovative Technologies Complex.

Binghamton University distinguished professor Ron Miles in the anechoic chamber on the Vestal campus. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Miles uses the underground chamber as his lab. It's regarded as one of the quietest rooms in the world with walls covered with materials that absorb sounds. It's surrounded by heavy, thick walls designed to prevent sounds - like vibrations from trucks on the nearby Vestal Parkway - from being heard inside.

Miles said most of his research involves technology for sensing sound, including microphones. The goal of some of the work is to develop better hearing aids.

Miles said to do that, "a very, very quiet space" is needed.

Specialized equipment inside the Binghamton University anechoic chamber. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Miles has been with the Binghamton University mechanical engineering department since 1989.

His acoustic research has explored the hearing capabilities of flies, mosquitoes and spiders.

The door to Binghamton University anechoic chamber features some comparisons with similar facilities. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.

For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

Check Out the Best-Selling Album From the Year You Graduated High School

Do you remember the top album from the year you graduated high school? Stacker analyzed Billboard data to determine just that, looking at the best-selling album from every year going all the way back to 1956. Sales data is included only from 1992 onward when Nielsen's SoundScan began gathering computerized figures.

Going in chronological order from 1956 to 2020, we present the best-selling album from the year you graduated high school.

Gallery Credit: Jacob Osborn

LOOK: What are the odds that these 50 totally random events will happen to you?

Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn't count on due dates -- and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.

Gallery Credit: Isabel Sepulveda

50 Most Popular Chain Restaurants in America

YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America's vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you'll even find a favorite or two.

Gallery Credit: Paul Feinstein