3 ms·

Terrible press release. The first picture shows an _intransparent_ barrier. Is that a before after picture? And what is "meta technology"?

addandsubtract 2y ago
Seems to be a before picture. There's an "after" picture further down the page. Meta technology maybe because it's not actual train related tech, but meta tech related to trains.
metters 2y ago
This [1] is the official press release by Deutsche Bahn. I wanted to post this instead, but it is in German. [1] https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/presse/pressestart_zentrales_uebersicht/Mehr-Durchblick-weniger-Laerm-DB-entwickelt-innovative-transparente-Schallschutzwaende-12861336 https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/presse/pressestart_zentrales...
- croemer 2y ago
  Thanks that one is better! At least it says: "m Bild: Herkömmliche Lärmschutzwand und MetaWindow im Vergleich (Visualisierung)" They should just use the new picture and not make the previous way of doing things so central. If one just looks at the picture it could appear as if the wall changes translucency dynamically.
wiml 2y ago
My guess is it's related to "metamaterials", which are materials engineered to have interesting properties by including structures smaller than the wavelength of whatever is going through them (sound, microwaves, even visible light if the structures are fine enough). There is quite a lot of research into sound-absorbing yet porous acoustic metamaterials. (Related, but maybe not technically a metamaterial, previously on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678415 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678415 )
- croemer 2y ago
  Sounds like it, yes. I remember negative refractive index materials, now that I think about it. The press release should not invent its own term (meta technology) just to sound fancy. Just say meta material.
pimlottc 2y ago
This is such a pet peeve for me too, images in articles should always have captions!

addandsubtract 2y ago

Seems to be a before picture. There's an "after" picture further down the page. Meta technology maybe because it's not actual train related tech, but meta tech related to trains.

metters 2y ago

This [1] is the official press release by Deutsche Bahn. I wanted to post this instead, but it is in German. [1] https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/presse/pressestart_zentrales_uebersicht/Mehr-Durchblick-weniger-Laerm-DB-entwickelt-innovative-transparente-Schallschutzwaende-12861336 https://www.deutschebahn.com/de/presse/pressestart_zentrales...

croemer 2y ago
Thanks that one is better! At least it says: "m Bild: Herkömmliche Lärmschutzwand und MetaWindow im Vergleich (Visualisierung)" They should just use the new picture and not make the previous way of doing things so central. If one just looks at the picture it could appear as if the wall changes translucency dynamically.

wiml 2y ago

My guess is it's related to "metamaterials", which are materials engineered to have interesting properties by including structures smaller than the wavelength of whatever is going through them (sound, microwaves, even visible light if the structures are fine enough). There is quite a lot of research into sound-absorbing yet porous acoustic metamaterials. (Related, but maybe not technically a metamaterial, previously on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678415 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38678415 )

croemer 2y ago
Sounds like it, yes. I remember negative refractive index materials, now that I think about it. The press release should not invent its own term (meta technology) just to sound fancy. Just say meta material.

pimlottc 2y ago

This is such a pet peeve for me too, images in articles should always have captions!