Active damping machine helps stop the office floor from shaking under footfall

UK-based startup FSD Active have developed Calmfloor, a system designed to tackle one of the most irritating issues in modern commercial buildings: floor vibrations.

From Superinnovators 20/08/24

Calmfloor active mass damper (AMD). Credit: FSD Active

If you’ve ever been in an office where a colleague’s footsteps make your screen wobble like it’s an earthquake, you’ll appreciate what Calmfloor aims to solve.

This system targets those unwanted vibrations caused by footfall, external traffic, and even the occasional heavy door slam, bringing peace and stability to your workspace.

As well as boosting employee wellbeing, Calmfloor aims to help technical labs minimise vibrations that would otherwise ruin their experiments or production.

Laboratories involved in high-precision activities such as microscopy, nanotech, biotech, 3D printing and semiconductor manufacturing require minimal floor vibrations to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Calmfloor aims to achieve this through multiple active mass damper (AMD) machines that are fixed to the floor.

They contain real-time vibration sensors and an inertial mass driven by an electrical motor to calm things down across a wide range of frequencies.

Put simply, when the floor is moving in one direction, the machine moves the mass to pull/push the floor in the other, cancelling out the shake.

With a frequency range of 3-30 Hz, this system is a multitasker, handling low-frequency rumblings in offices as well as high-frequency jitters in labs.

Calmfloor AMD in action. Credit: FSD Active

According to the startup, traditional passive dampers control only one vibration at a time, while Calmfloor juggles several modes simultaneously.

Each unit is a lightweight 67kg, and it’s energy-efficient too, sipping just 20-25W of power – because no one likes a high-maintenance gadget.

FSD Active has also gone digital with a secure online portal that lets you view the system’s performance in real-time, right from your phone.

It also integrates with Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems, offering a treasure trove of data for building operators who love to optimise.

According to FSD Active, Calmfloor can reduce floor vibrations by up to 90% – your once rumbling building could be as smooth as a Sunday morning.

They claim it’s particularly handy for structures with longer spans and lighter beams, so architects can design the airy, open spaces of their dreams without compromising on stability.

The company also say this aligns with Net Zero carbon goals, helping to cut down on the need for heavy, raw materials and keeping your building’s carbon footprint light.

With patented technology, FSD Active believe Calmfloor is the first of its kind.

It has so far been installed in an office in London, with further studies on potential installations in a new build hospital in the UK and an office-to-lab conversion in New York.