Sorama from Eindhoven has a mission with sound camera for a quieter, better world.

Rick Scholte demonstrates his technology at 'neighbor' Additive Industries at Strijp-T. © FotoMeulenhof

Reducing noise from a central heating boiler or from an ASML machine. Sorama is working on it, as part of its mission to combat noise pollution.

Peter Scholtes 03-06-19, Source: ED

With a touch of stubbornness, perhaps, founder Rick Scholte is making his way in the world with his revolutionary sound cameras from Sorama. Bit by bit, the company is growing, independently. "We are following a different path than most start-ups. Through autonomous growth, we can finance ourselves. We are committed to our long-term mission. We aim to solve the societal problem of noise pollution."
In the past years, Sorama has earned its money with sound cameras for companies that want to make their products quieter. For example, DAF uses the camera in the development of truck engines. On a screen, it becomes visible what is causing the sound. Smart software takes care of the analysis of the sound measurements.
Ten years after its start, Sorama has taken an important step. It is collaborating with the American company Fluke, a global leader in electronic testing equipment and software for measurements and monitoring of equipment. Together, they have developed a device for detecting compressed air leaks. With Fluke, the Eindhoven-based company enters a second market, that of machine maintenance. Using a sound camera, deviations in sound can be identified that indicate necessary maintenance. "Thanks to Fluke, we also gain a global reach," Scholte mentions as another added value of the collaboration.
The growth and internationalization of Sorama do not follow conventional paths. The company's technology, developed at the TU/e, to visualize sound with a grid of dozens of microphones is considered disruptive. Sorama disrupts the method used in the aviation and automotive industries to control sound with individual measurement microphones. In those industries, the 'trial and error' principle is applied: trying out options for product adjustments until a working solution is found. "With our cameras, we can quickly visualize what is happening," says Scholte. "We see how sound is generated, the path it follows through transmitted vibrations. This leads to a solution more quickly."
However, a technically superior and cheaper product does not automatically sell itself, explains Scholte. According to him, there is resistance in large acoustic departments of multinationals in the aviation and luxury car industries against the use of a sound camera because it takes over some of the work of acoustic engineers.
Vibrations
In other industrial sectors, Sorama is more successful. At ASML, sound cameras analyze, using algorithms, to the nanometer, to what extent vibrations from a component affect the accuracy of a chip machine. Producer of central heating boilers, Remeha, uses the sound cameras to build a quieter boiler.
For Vanderlande, Sorama investigated how the sound in baggage handling and logistics systems can be reduced. "Vanderlande's customer Amazon wanted less noise in its distribution centers. Noise leads to the accumulation of stress hormones. The quieter it is on the work floor, the less employee turnover occurs."
Scholte observes that the focus on silence is increasing among manufacturers. "The closer a product gets to consumers, the more important silence becomes. We see this with our client Asus, when it comes to how a laptop should sound. Or with Coolermaster, which produces computer fans and is exploring alternative cooling methods. More companies are thinking ahead."
Sorama established contacts with Asus, Coolermaster, and other Taiwanese clients through trade missions organized by Brainport. From Taiwan, it is aiming to further expand in Asia. The first clients in the automotive industry in Japan have been approached.
In the United States, pressure is being put on to find sales partners. Sorama works in Europe with what Scholte calls 'certified partners'. These are local suppliers who are knowledgeable about acoustic materials. "For example, they sell absorption materials that can be used to dampen sound. In order to sell our systems, you need to understand well what they can offer to customers."
Noisy café
Apart from the industry, Sorama is also active in the public space with its cameras. Along a highway in Overijssel, they are used to monitor the amount of freight traffic. As part of a pilot project on the Stratumseind in Eindhoven, the sound cameras can detect aggression, breaking glass, or a noisy café. The camera's software ensures that a specific sound is recognized.
This year, Sorama is expanding its workforce to around thirty employees. "In the coming years, we will continue to grow, both in revenue and in profit." But the true objective is to help more customers to combat noise pollution - with its negative effects on health. Sorama is already involved in quieter central heating boilers and bedpan washers in nursing homes. "But think about the dishwasher. Or about generators, for example in construction. There are still many more products that can be made quieter."

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