Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is opening a £12m audio research lab in Cambridge.
Located within the government’s ‘Ox-Cam corridor’, the state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to advancing audio technologies for Meta’s future AR and AI glasses, including Ray-Ban Meta and the newly announced Oakley Meta.
The lab is designed to replicate everyday acoustic environments with extreme precision.
It includes ultra-quiet acoustic testing spaces, with anechoic and semi-anechoic chambers – including one large enough to house a family-sized car.
It also features one of the world’s largest configurable reverberation rooms, with 101 individually adjustable acoustic panels simulating environments ranging from a phone box to a cathedral.
Realistic, instrumented home environments such as kitchens, living rooms and other spaces are fitted with sensors to test wearable devices under everyday conditions.
Plus there are motion tracking zones with 3,600 sq ft of space for AI to learn how users move and interact in real time using optical tracking with sub-millimetre accuracy.
Meta says the technology aims to transform everyday experiences, such as improving conversations on noisy public transport or enhancing podcast listening in busy city streets.
As its largest engineering base outside the US, the UK hosts over 5,500 employees.
“Creating this world class audio lab in Cambridge is a sign of our long-term commitment to the UK and our belief in the top engineering talent it produces,” said Joel Kaplan, chief global affairs officer at Meta.
“We want the brightest minds to make sure our smart glasses have the smartest AI-powered audio so you can focus on what you’re listening to no matter what’s going on around you. I can’t wait to experience the results of the work the lab produces.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves added: “Meta’s investment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK as a hub for world-leading research and innovation while helping to supercharge the potential in the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor.”
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