Intelligent Adaptive Multi-zone Sound Masking (IAMSM)

 

LINSPACE engineers pioneered the IAMSA design philosophy in 2003, and have successfully implemented more than 300,000 square M of the IAMSM system across may large cooperations.

 

The concept of IAMSM was conceived to address the problems frequently encountered with traditional analogue single source building-wise sound masking system design. To date, with advancement of digital signal processing (DSP), IAMSM systems have evolved and is even more relevant for modern office environments, especially those designed in accordance with Green Building South Africa Acoustic rating tool guide lines.

 

The IAMSM concept has been adopted by ABSA, Nedbank, Standard Bank, FNB, Total SA,  SASOL, Ernst & Young, Barclays...etc for many of their office spaces.

 

 

Sound Masking

An ideal Sound Masking in the context of an office environment is a means of introducing a well-controlled and calibrated neutral background noise for the purpose of achieving improved speech privacy and reduced sound disturbances between work stations.

 

A successful sound masking design and installation is non obtrusive to the occupants and is uniform throughout the floor plate.

 

A sound masking system on its own cannot provide a total solution in improving office acoustics. Other factors such as the quality and the design of the acoustic ceiling and partitions are equally important to achieve a cumulative improvement in acoustic comfort and privacy.

 

IAMSM refers to a sound masking system that is intelligent and adaptive to multiple zones of local ambient noise environments. This is in contrast to the traditional approach where an entire building is commonly one single sound masking zone with fixed volumes for the entire building or floor plates.

 

IAMSM systems use ambient sensing microphones to provide dynamic feedback for each of the defined areas and adjust the masking level accordingly within a predefined range.

 

The IAMSM concept is not equipment vendor specific. There are multiple South African suppliers that are able to implement this concept.