This half-day short course introduces the fundamental concepts and theories related to active noise and vibration control, basic algorithms, as well as various typical applications of this technology. The history of active sound and vibration control technology can be dated back to its first documented attempt in the 1930s. Wave theory-based research on active control of sound and vibration started in 1950s. It first became a popular research area in 1990s, and during that period, enormous studies were carried out, many effective active control signal processing algorithms were developed, and implementations were successful in a wide range of engineering applications, such as the control of noise in automobiles, aircraft, buildings, industrial environments, etc.

After a one-decade “cool-down” period, active sound and vibration control has recently reclaimed its research popularity. This is driven by the even wider range of application and commercialization potentials of this technology brought by the recent rapid increase in the computing power of signal processing hardware together with its cost drop, and also by the unprecedented potential research outcomes if the recent research breakthroughs in other widely studied areas, such as artificial intelligence, computing technology, virtual reality, smart systems, perception-based engineering, etc., can benefit active control of sound and vibration.

Prof. Yangfan Liu, Oklahoma State University — Author / Presenter
Dr. Yangfan Liu is an Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Oklahoma State University, specializing in acoustics and noise control. His research focuses on advanced signal processing and vibroacoustic simulation techniques informed by physical acoustics and psychoacoustics. Dr. Liu earned his Ph.D. from Purdue University in 2016, stayed at Purdue as a Post-Doctoral researcher and then joined the Purdue faculty in 2018, before moving to Oklahoma State University in August 2026. He is the author of a forthcoming textbook on aeroacoustics that will be published by Springer in late 2026. His active noise control technologies have been successfully commercialized and translated into top-selling products worldwide.

In professional service, Dr. Liu is a Vice President of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), chairs INCE’s Technical Committee on Signal Processing, Active Noise Control, and Instrumentation, and serves on multiple committees of the Acoustical Society of America, including Educational Outreach, Public Policy, and International Liaison. He has been invited to deliver plenary talks, contribute flagship magazine articles for the National Academy of Engineering, teach multiple short courses, and organize approximately 20 technical sessions at international conferences.