Effect of Air-Borne Ultrasound on Humans

Abstract

Today, we shall examine briefly the question - what are the “effects of air-bone ultrasound on humans?” The question is generated by conflicting points of view presented in some recent public utterance on this subject. Some of these statements ascribe to air-borne ultrasound, a capacity to induce remarkably dramatic effects in humans. Apparently, twenty years have wrought little change in our understanding of the effects on man of air-borne ultrasound! Our attention shall focus, primarily, on man's work environments, but we shall consider a very little history before examining sources of air-borne ultrasound, the properties of the propagation medium and the paths by which air-borne ultrasound enters the human body. Finally, we shall attempt to assess and state the significance of the effects of environmental, air-borne ultrasound on man at work.