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Funny Irish Food!

There is a town in Northern Ireland called Ballycastle in Country Antrim where I was taken as a small boy for a special treat. Ever since 1612, Ballycastle has hosted a special ‘Irish’ event – The Auld Lammas Fair. It is held every year on the last Monday or sometimes, Tuesday of August and is associated with the Lammas harvest festival.

The four things I remember most about my visit there were, all the various stalls, people riding in horse & trap, Yellowman and Dulse. No doubt the last two will need some explaining ...

Yellowman is simply a type of toffee to which sodium bicarbonate has been added so that it is full of honeycomb bubbles when it is boiled and set. It has a unique taste and it is such a long time since I have tasted it. I recently found a recipe for it – try it!

However the main reason for my introduction is to acquaint you with Irish Dulse – which is a type of edible seaweed, more commonly known in Ireland as Dillisk. It is a red/purple coloured algae usually found on the rocks around the northern shores of Ireland. It is usually eaten (by Irishmen anyway) in its raw, semi-dried form as a snack. Indeed it contains all essential vitamins and minerals as well as being high in protein - up to 20% - see this nutritional guide

It can easily ordered on-line from such companies as http://www.seaweg.co.uk/ and I always have a bad of dulse on my desk to both keep may brain on max power and to remind me of home. Dulse can be used in many recipes so here is one which is truly Irish – Irish Soda Dulse Soda Scones – try this as well. And while you are at it, also take a look at our sonic horns web site for some material flow problem solving inspiration!

At War With Acoustics!

From time to time I comment on some of the wide range of totally different applications which have involved ‘acoustic energy’ in one form or another.

One such interesting field was the development ‘acoustic location’ devices for the passive detection of aircraft by picking up the noise of their engines. It was also employed to try and determine the presence and position of ships in fog. These ‘devices’ came in many design shapes & sizes from mid World War 1 until the early years of World War 2. However they were rendered obsolete by the introduction or radar which proved to be considerably more effective. Such horns provided both acoustic gain and directionality and because of the increased inter-horn spacing compared with human ears, increased the observer’s ability to localise the direction of the sound.

The earliest audio-location device, used to assist navigation in fog was Professor Mayer’s Topophone devised in 1880 (photograph 1).

My second photograph shows a massive two-horn system being tested at Bolling Field, close to the US Army War College at Fort McNair in 1921. Most every advanced country designed and developed their own unique detection devices – none more so than Japan!

My final photograph, taken in the 1930s, shows the Japanese War Tubas with what appears to be two horns in a horizontal plane and two more in a vertical plane mounted on four wheel carriages. On the right of this photograph is the Japanese emperor Horohito and behind him are the AA guns intended to be used in conjunction with the acoustic locators.

Of course the complete opposite is true with Primasonics Sonic Horns – they are now very much the new proven innovative acoustic cleaning technology which is replacing older, ‘devices’ such as soot blowers and air cannons. Take a look at our sonic horn web site to see for yourself how these acoustic cleaners provide a safe, automated, solution for the effective prevention and removal of dry powder and particulate build-ups and blockages.

The Magic of Acoustic Energy

Here at Primasonics® we like to think that we are pretty inventive. Indeed we always have at least one R&D programme ‘on the go’ with a leading UK university’s acoustic research unit. As well as looking for ways to improve and expand our existing range of Audiosonic™ Acoustic Cleaners, we are also working on ways to evaluate and harness different forms of acoustic energy in order to provide effective prevention of material build up in the most difficult and hazardous industrial applications.

The power of sound never ceases to amaze me and I recently read a fascinating article which stated that our body’s own DNA emits sound waves. Scientists are now developing an incredible new technology which will both record and amplify the minute acoustic signals given off not only by our DNA molecules but also by bacteria and viruses. Imagine what profound implications there would be for the medical world – the ability to identify specific viruses or cancer cells by the acoustic energy they emit.

On a more ‘refreshing’ note a device has already been created that uses only sound energy to refrigerate ice cream, making it therefore much easier to produce some of the delicious ice creams and sorbets which I have found on this delightful ice cream recipes web site.

Reading wonderful articles such as these gives me added enthusiasm to maintain Primasonics® International as the world leader in the design and manufacture of the best acoustic cleaning technologies. So why don’t you try our well proven sonic horn technologies to prevent material build up in your process facility, power station of dry material storage plant.

Cool Horn – Red Hot Performance

I was thinking of how I could link our innovative range of sonic horns with some of my favourite film stars and in the end the answer was simple - Bix Beiderbecke!

Leon Bismark "Bix" Beiderbecke (March 10, 1903 – August 6, 1931) was an American jazz cornetist, jazz pianist, and composer. With Louis Armstrong, Beiderbecke was one of the two most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s. A native of Davenport, Iowa, Beiderbecke taught himself to play cornet largely by ear, leading him to adopt a non-standard fingering that some critics have connected to his original sound. He first recorded with the Midwestern jazz ensemble the Wolverines in 1924.

So what is the link with ‘the stars’?

Well following Dorothy Baker’s book, loosely based on the life of Bix Beiderbeche, a film was made in 1950 which starred three of my all time favorites – Kirk Douglas (Bix), Lauren Bacall (Amy North) and my darling Doris Day (Jo Jordan). The firm was directed by Michael Curtiz (of Casablanca fame) and produced by Jerry Wald. It was a white-hot drama about a red-hot jazzman. It was the legendary Harry James who dubbed Douglas’ hornwork and of course another fine instrument was featured in the film, the voice of Doris Day!

The Primasonics range of Sonic Horns offer red hot performance and dynamic solutions in eliminating particular build up that never fails to impressl

Just like the horn blowing of Bix!

Worried Pigeons, Sonic Art & Cumbria Floods

As you will know from reading this Sonic Horns Blog, my everyday working life revolves around audiosonics and, in particular sonic horn technologies. It is therefore not surprising that pretty much anything involving 'sonics' of any kind always attracts my interest and attention. A good example happened this last February when I wrote a Sonic Valentine post; my fiancee Shirley's purchase of a new jewelry cleaner became an item of fascination for me - it was a "Sonic Wave Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner" of all things. How appropriate is that?!

Recently a BBC radio programme discussing new art forms caught my ear. They were discussing 'Sonic Art' and in particular "the world's first permanent outdoor 3D soundfield" which had been installed in Workington in Cumbria. Essentially it is a canopy with speakers inside that create an all-round-the room sound experience that you get in the very best cinemas - but more so! The installation has what the creators call a 'soundscape' with recorded noises of all manner of things including birds, trains, bells and human voices. Apparently local pigeons hearing seagulls but not being able to see them were reported to look rather bemused!

What is perhaps most appropriate about this post is not just the 'sonic' element but the fact that this unique piece of Sonic Art is in Workington Cumbria - a place that has featured in the world's headlines the last few days because of the unprecedented flooding in that particular area of Britain. The devastation around Workington included collapsed bridges and the tragedy of a local policeman's death plus many people losing their homes and possessions to the flood waters. Whether the town's 3D outdoor soundfield is still intact I don't know. I have Google'd a few searches on it but no relevant news has been forthcoming. If I find out, I will let you know.

In the meantime, if you would like to help, the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund is accepting donations online from anyone who would like to help the people of Workington and the other affected areas of Cumbria.

A Technical Director's View

As part of my job I often visit some of the UK’s universities which have specialisms in bulk materials or acoustics. Not long ago I was at Liverpool University’s Acoustic Research Unit testing a new prototype. The Principal Experimental Officer within the Unit is Gary Seiffert who as well as being very knowledgeable is a very funny and friendly fellow. He was talking about some of the other research projects being carried out at the University and one really caught my attention. In the engineering building both staff and students are working with Ford to put lasers in place of spark plugs.

The lasers can be split to create multiple ignition points leading to greater efficiency and better starting. Now what we do with better efficiency is of course up to us we can create hi-tech low carbon foot print cars with the same power and experience to drive we are used to or we could make a laser ignited screaming hotrod that only uses the same amount of fuel as your current car.

What I really like about this project is you could go down to the lab and they could start the engine up for you, far from being just a theory this was literally up and running. It made me think about some of the engines that we see that make big promises but never get out of solid works or only ever seem to be running on compressed air. Perhaps now that valves don’t need to be routed out of the way of spark plugs some of the more radical engine designs such as the “Round Engine” will receive the little spark they need to really launch them into the world.

Working with universities is something I really like doing when I see different departments and disciplines working together and making new connections it can provide real inspiration. As much as we get out of Universities in terms of access to specialist equipment and consultation we have in the passed been able to pay some of this back. Occasionally a simple letter from someone in industry saying you could see a possible practical use is all that is needed to allow a young researcher to get a grant and continue their studies or donating just a small amount of time can help students a great deal. Spending time with the brightest and best of a generation is never a waste of time and when it helps both of us I can’t think of a better way to spend a day.
..... Alex Bergus