Technical tour registration is closed.

Several technical tours are planned during the conference, such as:

• IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique): demonstrations in musical acoustics, sound spatialization, sound design, synthesis methods and sound processing, www.ircam.fr. Thursday, 3 July at 3 :00 p.m. and Friday, 4 July, at 10:00 a.m.; duration–1 hour and a half; limited to 100 participants (50 per tour); meet at IRCAM.
• Musée des Arts et Métiers: museum of science and technology including Blériot airplane, Lavoisier laboratory, www.arts-et-metiers.net. Tuesday, 1 July, at 2 :00 p.m. and 4 :00 p.m.; duration–2 hours; limited to 100 participants; meet at museum.
• UGC theatre in Paris La Défense: The UGC cinema of Paris La Defense features 16 projection rooms, one of them a former Imax theatre. It has been outfitted in the former automobile museum facility in 2006. Due to the severe weight restrictions applicable in this building, the partitioning of the projection rooms was performed using gypsumboard walls supported by beams, while the flooring was made of wooden panels. The visit will begin with a brief explaination of how a cinema facility operates. Next, the types of walls (with a height ranging up to 14 m) and floors used in such a construction will be described, as well as the absorptive treatment applied. Lastly, the former Imax facility will be visited and its transformation into a regular projection room explained. Friday, 4 July, at 10 :00 a.m.; duration–one hour; limited to 60 participants;  meet at UGC la défense.
• ONERA/CEPR: the French Aerospace Laboratory, Thruster Test Center: anechoic wind tunnel, RACE tests facility (fans and turbojets), http://www.onera.fr. Wednesday, 2 July, at 2 :00 p.m.; duration–2 and one-half hours including travel; limited to 25 participants; bus transportation provided). Important note: for this tour, participants must complete the following form  and mail it to acoustics08[at]laposte.net before June, 1st. Participants  will also have bring their ID to access Onera site.
• CSTB (French Center for Building Technologies): For the 10th anniversary of the LABE (European Acoustics Laboratory in the Building Industry) and within the context of the Acoustics’08 Paris conference, the CSTB plans a session of acoustic tests and innovative acoustic approaches. Demonstrations will include: measurement of level intensity in rainfall noise (according to the standard EN ISO 140-18); measurement of airborne and structure borne sound from building equipment with demonstration of a whirlpool bath (according to draft standard pr EN 15657-1); measurement of walking noise on floor coverings (according to the standard NF S 31-057 and European draft WG1/AHG7 of 25/11/2005); presentation of virtual models produced on the basis of physical models (acoustics, lighting, etc.); presentation of an active window (research program TERIA); demonstration of the software ACOUBAT Sound V5.0 (2008) and of its new functions (offices, roof, acoustic correction, etc.). Based on the European standards of simulations (EN 12354-1 to 3 and 6), this software makes it possible to assess the acoustic performance of a building based on the performance of its constituent products; simulation of acoustic performance in products (partition wall and floating screed); road traffic noise reduction dives (CE marking, simplified implementation, R&D). This event will end with a brunch offered by LABE, http://international.cstb.fr. Tuesday, 1 July, 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., earlier return is possible by using ground transportation, limited to 100 participants; bus transportation provided.
  Click here to get a detailed version of the CSTB tour
  Click here to get the map
• LAM: visit of the Musical Acoustics Laboratory: demonstrations in musical acoustics, visualization of streaming in wind instruments, use of new materials in stringed instruments, research on optical supports (CD, DVD) for sound records, enclosures with nozzles for audio-engineering, synthesis by gesture control, http://www.lam.jussieu.fr. Tuesday, 1 July, and Wednesday, 2 July, at 2 :30 p.m.; duration–1 and one-half hours; limited to 80 participants; meet at LAM.
• IAT Aerotechnical Institute: Wind tunnels for car testing and real and reduced (2/5th) scales (test room, test stream, fan, etc.) and of the associated measurement facilities (aerodynamic force measurement balance, acoustical measurements, set-up, etc.), www.cnam.fr/instituts/IAT. Wednesday, 2 July, at 12 :15 p.m.; duration–3 and one-half hours including transportation; limited to 40 participants; bus transportation provided.
• Guided tour “Pipe organs of Paris”: Paris is the location of probably the largest number of pipe organs in the world with more than 250 instruments in public buildings, mainly churches. The oldest pipes and organ cases in the city date back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries, as well as other magnificent instruments dating back to the 18th, 19th, 20th and even 21st centuries. These instruments are often associated with French composers of the past such as Du Caurroy, Rameau, Couperin, Daquin, Clerambault, Franck, Saint Saens, Bizet, Gounod, Widor, Vierne, Dupré, Messiaen, just to name a few, who were organists in Paris. Nowadays, almost all major instruments can be heard several times a week during church services or concerts, and are served today as in the past by distinguished musicians. The tour will begin with a short introduction to the Parisian organ landscape, presenting the history of organ building in Paris, and the most important instruments of the city. Following this introduction, a detailed technical and musical visit of the historical organ of Sainte Elisabeth will be offered. The tour will continue with the visit of one or more interesting instruments in the center of Paris, depending on attendance and availability. Thursday, 3 July, at 2.00 p.m.; duration–3 hours; limited to 200 participants; meet at Sainte Elisabeth church.

If you want to register to the technical tours, please log on with the format C31xxxxx, you can find a link "You wish to book for free social events:". If you do so, you will get a new registration reference C49xxxx regarding only for these additional options."