äänimaskointia

Äänimaskointia, known in English as sound masking, is the process of introducing a low-level, unobtrusive sound into an environment to make speech more difficult to understand. The primary goal of sound masking is not to eliminate noise, but rather to increase the intelligibility of background conversations, thereby enhancing privacy and reducing distractions.

The masking sound is typically a broadband, continuous signal, often described as a gentle "white noise" or "pink noise." It is designed to be psychologically unobtrusive, meaning it does not draw attention to itself. The level of the masking sound is carefully calibrated. If it is too loud, it can become a source of annoyance. If it is too quiet, it will not be effective. The ideal level is such that it raises the ambient sound floor just enough to obscure the intelligibility of nearby speech without being noticeable as a distinct sound itself.

Sound masking systems are commonly implemented in open-plan offices to protect the confidentiality of conversations and to reduce the cognitive load associated with trying to filter out unwanted speech. This can lead to increased focus, productivity, and a greater sense of privacy for employees. Beyond office environments, sound masking can also be used in healthcare settings to ensure patient privacy, in educational institutions to minimize classroom distractions, and in public spaces for similar reasons. The effectiveness of sound masking is often measured by metrics like speech privacy level (SPL) or privacy index (PI).