A University of Michigan Health System study found that strategically placed sound acoustic panels helped diffuse sound in the hallways, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
Four custom panels, covered in cones and made with sound-absorbing material, were installed for three days in the walls and ceilings of a cardiovascular care unit.
Sound levels were 60 decibels during the daytime, but with the sound panels the level dropped to 57 decibels.
The researcher found that the sound decibel drop was consistent with a fall in noise generated by a car slowing down from 80 mph to 60 mph.
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