As you may know, noise-canceling headphones work by listening to the external noise attempting to work its way from the outside world to your ears, and adding a wave form that is the inverse of that noise to your audio signal.
Researchers are applying a similar technology to ships as a means of similarly reducing the noise made by their engines. Piezo-ceramic bearings that vibrate at various frequencies when stimulated hold the engine in place, actively cancelling vibrations before they reach the ships hull. The system will be teste for the first time this summer, and the LBF researchers behind it are convinced the results will outclass previous noise dampening technoogy for ships. Now if only someone could invent a type of SONAR that didn't drive dolphins and whales crazy...
(from gizmag)
