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About / Vision

Vision

SMILE proposes soundscape engineering as a practical engineering paradigm: a workflow that unifies physical acoustics, metamaterial design, machine learning, and human perception.

Rather than optimizing only for sound pressure level (dB), we consider what people actually experience—comfort, pleasantness, and health impacts—while maintaining rigorous physical modeling.

Scientific idea (short)

  1. Model & simulate sound fields and structural-acoustic interactions with high fidelity.
  2. Inverse-design metamaterials using ML-driven optimization and generative design.
  3. Validate perceptual outcomes using virtual reality (VR) soundscape evaluation and public participation.
  4. Iterate to create a closed loop: perception → target → design → prototype → perception.

SMILE icons

Perceptually-driven inverse design loop

SMILE inverse design loop

Scope

The project bridges:

  • Physical acoustics / wave propagation
  • Psychoacoustics & soundscape evaluation
  • Computational design and optimization
  • Prototyping and experimental validation

Project facts

  • Funding: Swedish Research Council (VR)
  • Period: 2026‑01‑01 to 2029‑12‑31
  • Keywords: Soundscape engineering, acoustic metamaterials, machine learning, perceptual optimization, sound management