{"id":3280,"date":"2025-12-22T22:16:46","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T03:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/?page_id=3280"},"modified":"2026-02-18T11:48:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T16:48:56","slug":"media-highlights","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/news\/media-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"Media Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n\/* remove bottom margin from the last element inside the content container *\/\ndetails > div:last-of-type > :last-child{\n  margin-bottom: 0 !important;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div style=\"line-height:0; margin:-12px 0 0 0; padding:0;\">\n<p style=\"margin:4px 0 4px 0; font-style:italic; line-height:1.4;\">\n  Our research has been featured by hundreds of international media and news outlets, as well as professional societies and industry communication platforms.\n  <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<details open style=\"margin:6pt; border:1px solid #e2e2e2; border-radius:10px; background:#fafafa; overflow:hidden; display:block;\">\n<div style=\"height:4px; background:linear-gradient(90deg,#f58529,#dd2a7b,#8134af,#515bd4);\"><\/div>\n<summary style=\"margin:0; cursor:pointer; font-weight:bold; font-size:18px; padding:8px 12px; background:#f0f2f5; border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea; line-height:1.7;\">\n      Metamaterials that enable highly efficient, air-permeable sound silencing and noise reduction<br \/>\n    <\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:8px 12px 10px; background:#ffffff; font-size:17px; line-height:1.7;\">\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F0F8FF; border-left:5px solid #6ea8fe; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(110,168,254,0.18);\">\n        &ldquo;Though less publicized than its notorious air and water counterparts, noise pollution is a growing problem,&rdquo; [Geek.com]. Prof. Xin Zhang and her team at Boston University &ldquo;have recently made a remarkable discovery,&rdquo; [Bold Business]; &ldquo;have created a new kind of material,&rdquo; [Smithsonian]; &ldquo;have come up with a solution that outperforms them all,&rdquo; [Gizmodo]; and &ldquo;have done the seemingly impossible,&rdquo; [ASME]. Their breakthrough innovation, described as &ldquo;shape blocking sound,&rdquo; [Alliant], is &ldquo;quite a feat of metamaterial design,&rdquo; [Fabbaloo], which &ldquo;could help bring peace and quiet to our lives,&rdquo; [Digital Trends].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F5FFFA; border-left:5px solid #34c38f; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(52,195,143,0.16);\">\n        &ldquo;Whether at work, in health or in transport, this soundproofing ring could change our lives,&rdquo; [Business Insider], specifically by enabling the ability &ldquo;to curtail noise from aircraft, fans and HVAC systems without interfering with the airflow,&rdquo; [Smithsonian]. As highlighted by The Wall Street Journal, &ldquo;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&rsquo;s what Zhang&rsquo;s team did,&rdquo; [The Wall Street Journal]. Prof. Zhang&rsquo;s innovative &ldquo;metamaterials block noise without hindering air flow,&rdquo; [Design News], unlocking &ldquo;endless applications for the technology in different fields,&rdquo; [SolidSmack].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#FFFAF0; border-left:5px solid #f7b84b; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(247,184,75,0.16);\">\n        Described as a &ldquo;ring of silence,&rdquo; [Thomas Insights], and &ldquo;a meta-material to end noise pollution,&rdquo; [Plastics the mag], Prof. Zhang&rsquo;s invention is &ldquo;as cool as it sounds!&rdquo; [Mashable]. &ldquo;The potential uses are endless,&rdquo; [Built in Boston], and &ldquo;there&rsquo;s really no limit to the possibilities,&rdquo; [Fast Company]. Acclaimed as &ldquo;the strongest sound insulation research in history!&rdquo; [TechOrang], it&rsquo;s no wonder &ldquo;the industry is crazy!&rdquo; [L&rsquo;Usine nouvelle]. Experts suggest &ldquo;this could be a whole new industry,&rdquo; [Fabbaloo], and even predict &ldquo;we may finally have a 3DPrinter popular hit,&rdquo; [WIRED]. Additionally, &ldquo;the structure is also very lightweight and looks beautiful,&rdquo; [Mashable].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#FFFAFA; border-left:5px solid #f06595; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(240,101,149,0.16);\">\n        Ultimately, Prof. Zhang&rsquo;s discovery &ldquo;could have a significant impact on architecture and design,&rdquo; [Hunker], ushering in &ldquo;a new (and quiet) era of acoustics,&rdquo; [Discoveries News]. Beyond engineering applications, even wellness and mindfulness industries&mdash;already worth billions&mdash;&ldquo;may also benefit from these advances,&rdquo; [Future Science News]. Clearly, &ldquo;the future is coming, and it&rsquo;s just the right volume,&rdquo; [Curiosity].\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/details>\n<div style=\"height:4px; line-height:0; margin:0; padding:0;\"><\/div>\n<details open style=\"margin:6pt; border:1px solid #e2e2e2; border-radius:10px; background:#fafafa; overflow:hidden; display:block;\">\n<div style=\"height:4px; background:linear-gradient(90deg,#f58529,#dd2a7b,#8134af,#515bd4);\"><\/div>\n<summary style=\"margin:0; cursor:pointer; font-weight:bold; font-size:18px; padding:8px 12px; background:#f0f2f5; border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea; line-height:1.7;\">\n      Metamaterials that boost the signal-to-noise ratio and thus significantly improve MRI performance<br \/>\n    <\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:8px 12px 10px; background:#ffffff; font-size:17px; line-height:1.7;\">\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F8F8FF; border-left:5px solid #9c6ade; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(156,106,222,0.17);\">\n        &ldquo;MRI is a complicated imaging modality and improving it requires a deep understanding of the physics involved,&rdquo; [Healthcare-in-Europe]. Prof. Xin Zhang&rsquo;s metamaterials &ldquo;boost MRI performance without increased magnetic field,&rdquo; [Electronic Design &amp; Microwaves &amp; RF]; &ldquo;allow for more possibilities and the chance to simplify the technology,&rdquo; [Science Times]; and are said to &ldquo;revolutionize MRI and medical imaging,&rdquo; [Sathel Energia &amp; MedImaging.net].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F0FBFC; border-left:5px solid #15aabf; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(21,170,191,0.16);\">\n        &ldquo;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,&rdquo; [EurekAlert!]. The &ldquo;arrangement of this metamaterial is truly groundbreaking and innovative,&rdquo; [NIH]; it&rsquo;s an &ldquo;additive technology,&rdquo; [Pioneering Minds], which could &ldquo;potentially making the modality more widely available for patients at lower costs,&rdquo; [HealthImaging].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F6F8F2; border-left:5px solid #7c8f3a; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(124,143,58,0.16);\">\n        With this breakthrough, &ldquo;crisper MRI now possible,&rdquo; [Medgadget], achieved using &ldquo;tiny structures that could end up making a massive impact,&rdquo; [Radiology Business], thereby &ldquo;making the entire MRI process faster, safer, and more accessible to patients around the world,&rdquo; [Phys.org].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#FDF5E6; border-left:5px solid #c27c2c; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(194,124,44,0.16);\">\n        &ldquo;Not bad for a few coils of wire,&rdquo; [Physics World], especially as &ldquo;cost effective MRIs might soon become a reality,&rdquo; [MDDI]. This work is considered a &ldquo;quantum leap&rdquo; [Radiology Business], representing a &ldquo;substantial improvement in image quality for the first time,&rdquo; [NIH]. Clearly, &ldquo;things will get seamless very soon,&rdquo; [Times Tech Pharm].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F3F4F6; border-left:5px solid #868e96; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(134,142,150,0.14);\">\n        There&rsquo;s even potential for &ldquo;the metamaterial being used with ultra-low field MRI,&rdquo; [EurekAlert!], a method that &ldquo;uses magnetic fields that are thousands of times lower than the standard machines currently in use,&rdquo; [Phys.org]. Ultimately, &ldquo;this would open the door for MRI technology to become widely available around the world,&rdquo; [Science Daily].\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/details>\n<div style=\"height:4px; line-height:0; margin:0; padding:0;\"><\/div>\n<details open style=\"margin:6pt; border:1px solid #e2e2e2; border-radius:10px; background:#fafafa; overflow:hidden; display:block;\">\n<div style=\"height:4px; background:linear-gradient(90deg,#f58529,#dd2a7b,#8134af,#515bd4);\"><\/div>\n<summary style=\"margin:0; cursor:pointer; font-weight:bold; font-size:18px; padding:8px 12px; background:#f0f2f5; border-bottom:1px solid #eaeaea; line-height:1.7;\">\n      Metamaterial helmet that improves MRIs and can create better brain scans<br \/>\n    <\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding:8px 12px 10px; background:#ffffff; font-size:17px; line-height:1.7;\">\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F0F8FF; border-left:5px solid #6ea8fe; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(110,168,254,0.18);\">\n        &ldquo;You can keep your hat on (in the MRI). If I told you an MRI revolution was coming, you probably wouldn&rsquo;t expect it to come dressed like this,&rdquo; [Medical Republic]. &ldquo;It may look like a bizarre bike helmet, or a piece of equipment found in Doc Brown&rsquo;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,&rdquo; [Imaging Technology News].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#F5FFFA; border-left:5px solid #34c38f; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(52,195,143,0.16);\">\n        &ldquo;Despite its playful look, the device is actually a metamaterial, packing in a ton of physics, engineering and mathematical know-how,&rdquo; [Science Daily]. Medgadget praised the device as a &ldquo;funky helmet enhances MRI brain scans,&rdquo; noting: &ldquo;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,&rdquo; [Medgadget].\n      <\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:10px; margin:8px 0; background:#FFFAF0; border-left:5px solid #f7b84b; border-radius:10px; box-shadow: 0 16px 36px rgba(0,0,0,0.14), 0 6px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08), 0 10px 26px rgba(247,184,75,0.16);\">\n        As The Optimist Daily highlights, &ldquo;thanks to the playful design, the piece of headwear looks like it&rsquo;s straight from a mad scientist&rsquo;s laboratory, but there is a method to the madness. The uses of these magnificent metamaterials spread far and wide,&rdquo; [The Optimist Daily]. What&rsquo;s more, the technology is &ldquo;raising the floor beyond all expectations,&rdquo; [Medhealth Outlook]. &ldquo;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,&rdquo; [Medhealth Outlook].\n      <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our research has been featured by hundreds of international media and news outlets, as well as professional societies and industry communication platforms. Metamaterials that enable highly efficient, air-permeable sound silencing and noise reduction &ldquo;Though less publicized than its notorious air and water counterparts, noise pollution is a growing problem,&rdquo; [Geek.com]. Prof. Xin Zhang and her [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1316,"featured_media":0,"parent":1078,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3280"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3280"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9816,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3280\/revisions\/9816"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/xinzhang-lab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}