Press & Media

“Though less publicized than its notorious air and water counterparts, noise pollution is a growing problem,” [Geek.com]. Prof. Xin Zhang and her team at Boston University “have recently made a remarkable discovery,” [Bold Business]; “have created a new kind of material,” [Smithsonian]; “have come up with a solution that outperforms them all,” [Gizmodo]; and “have done the seemingly impossible,” [ASME]. Their breakthrough innovation, described as “shape blocking sound,” [Alliant], is “quite a feat of metamaterial design,” [Fabbaloo], which “could help bring peace and quiet to our lives,” [Digital Trends].

“Whether at work, in health or in transport, this soundproofing ring could change our lives,” [Business Insider], specifically by enabling the ability “to curtail noise from aircraft, fans and HVAC systems without interfering with the airflow,” [Smithsonian]. As highlighted by The Wall Street Journal, “there are all kinds of mechanical applications that would benefit from lightweight, see-through soundproofing that can stop noise, but still allow air to flow freely. And that’s what Zhang’s team did,” [The Wall Street Journal]. Prof. Zhang’s innovative “metamaterials block noise without hindering air flow,” [Design News], unlocking “endless applications for the technology in different fields,” [SolidSmack].

Described as a “ring of silence,” [Thomas Insights], and “a meta-material to end noise pollution,” [Plastics the mag], Prof. Zhang’s invention is “as cool as it sounds!” [Mashable]. “The potential uses are endless,” [Built in Boston], and “there’s really no limit to the possibilities,” [Fast Company]. Acclaimed as “the strongest sound insulation research in history!” [TechOrang], it’s no wonder “the industry is crazy!” [L’Usine nouvelle]. Experts suggest “this could be a whole new industry,” [Fabbaloo], and even predict “we may finally have a 3DPrinter popular hit,” [WIRED]. Additionally, “the structure is also very lightweight and looks beautiful,” [Mashable].

Ultimately, Prof. Zhang’s discovery “could have a significant impact on architecture and design,” [Hunker], ushering in “a new (and quiet) era of acoustics,” [Discoveries News]. Beyond engineering applications, even wellness and mindfulness industries—already worth billions—“may also benefit from these advances,” [Future Science News]. Clearly, “the future is coming, and it’s just the right volume,” [Curiosity].

“MRI is a complicated imaging modality and improving it requires a deep understanding of the physics involved,” [Healthcare-in-Europe]. Prof. Xin Zhang’s metamaterials “boost MRI performance without increased magnetic field,” [Electronic Design & Microwaves & RF]; “allow for more possibilities and the chance to simplify the technology,” [Science Times]; and are said to “revolutionize MRI and medical imaging,” [Sathel Energia & MedImaging.net].

“Shortening MRI examinations is paramount to maximizing the capacity. Not to mention revenue, as well as the overall patient experience of this powerful imaging technology,” [EurekAlert!]. The “arrangement of this metamaterial is truly groundbreaking and innovative,” [NIH]; it’s an “additive technology,” [Pioneering Minds], which could “potentially making the modality more widely available for patients at lower costs,” [HealthImaging].

With this breakthrough, “crisper MRI now possible,” [Medgadget], achieved using “tiny structures that could end up making a massive impact,” [Radiology Business], thereby “making the entire MRI process faster, safer, and more accessible to patients around the world,” [Phys.org].

“Not bad for a few coils of wire,” [Physics World], especially as “cost effective MRIs might soon become a reality,” [MDDI]. This work is considered a “quantum leap” [Radiology Business], representing a “substantial improvement in image quality for the first time,” [NIH]. Clearly, “things will get seamless very soon,” [Times Tech Pharm].

There’s even potential for “the metamaterial being used with ultra-low field MRI,” [EurekAlert!], a method that “uses magnetic fields that are thousands of times lower than the standard machines currently in use,” [Phys.org]. Ultimately, “this would open the door for MRI technology to become widely available around the world,” [Science Daily].

“You can keep your hat on (in the MRI). If I told you an MRI revolution was coming, you probably wouldn’t expect it to come dressed like this,” [Medical Republic]. “It may look like a bizarre bike helmet, or a piece of equipment found in Doc Brown’s lab in Back to the Future, yet this gadget made of plastic and copper wire is a technological breakthrough with the potential to revolutionize medical imaging,” [Imaging Technology News].

“Despite its playful look, the device is actually a metamaterial, packing in a ton of physics, engineering and mathematical know-how,” [Science Daily]. Medgadget praised the device as a “funky helmet enhances MRI brain scans,” noting: “What if a simple device, made from plastic and copper wire, could help with all of these issues, and look like a goofy toy for kids in the process? Look no further,” [Medgadget].

As The Optimist Daily highlights, “thanks to the playful design, the piece of headwear looks like it’s straight from a mad scientist’s laboratory, but there is a method to the madness. The uses of these magnificent metamaterials spread far and wide,” [The Optimist Daily]. What’s more, the technology is “raising the floor beyond all expectations,” [Medhealth Outlook]. “There is hope among the researchers that the technology will eventually have enough in the tank to work with low-field MRI scanners. Assuming the said goal is realized, people living in underdeveloped areas will also end up getting a fair shot at reaping its benefits,” [Medhealth Outlook].