skip to content

Department of Computer Science and Technology

Undergraduate student Jack Parkinson would often jump on his bike to get from his college to lectures here in the Department. But it frustrated him that wind noise made it difficult for him to listen to music, or answer phone calls, while he was cycling. So he decided to do something about it. For his third-year research project, he set about exploring existing ways of removing wind noise from a single microphone to see if he could improve on them.

Trying to communicate clearly over a phone or headset in strong wind – such as in the cockpit of a plane, outside on a windy day, or while cycling - is difficult. Wind noise is a significant problem that can make speech, in particular, impossible to understand. So improved solutions could have many potential applications.

Jack set up a number of experiments to gather samples of wind and speech noise, both while stationary and while cycling. Using a combination of neural networks and digital signal processing, he developed and evaluated an algorithm for wind noise removal whose performance was better than the performance of existing algorithms.

His work impressed the examiners here, who described his project as 'yielding state-of-the-art results'. It also won Jack the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' Award for Excellence and Achievement in Computer Hardware - an annual award recently established in this Department.

Going to the Mansion House in London to receive my award at the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' banquet made me feel like a king. It was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry!

Jack, who is staying on here for a fourth year to study for a Master's, was presented with his award by the the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers, a Livery Company rooted in the medieval craft of producing gold wire for embroidering tapestries and robes.

Gold wire used in textiles - and technology
The skill of producing very high grade gold and silver wire and thread for use in embroidering flags, banners, uniforms and vestments, was first brought to London by European craftsmen during the 15th century. Six hundred years later, gold and silver wire products are used not only in textiles and jewellery, but also for high-tech purposes. High-grade gold wire, for example, is a key component of the hundreds of billions of microchips and microprocessors produced worldwide.

To reflect this evolution, the Livery Company established an annual award here in the Department in 2019 for exceptional work in the design or development of computer hardware. Since its earliest days, this Department has had a strong culture of building computers and computer systems, and this award celebrates that tradition.

As a student from non-selective Doncaster state school, Trinity Academy, I hope I can encourage others like me to try applying for Cambridge. It’s an amazing university with great facilities, and an atmosphere which really pushes me to achieve my best.

Jack received his award in November at the Mansion House in the City of London. He is seen in the photo above receiving it from Sir David Wootton, Representative Lord Mayor of London (left), and Michael Gunston, Master of the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers (right).

He says: "My research originated from me being really frustrated that I couldn’t hear my music or answer phone calls when on the bike to the Department. Clearly, I was very determined to solve this real-world problem, using the knowledge learnt through my degree, and I’m proud of the state-of-the-art results I achieved."

He adds that he was "shocked" to receive this recognition. "But I thank them for choosing my work for this award," he says. "Going to the Mansion House in London to receive it at the Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers' banquet made me feel like a king. It was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry!"

Jack is particularly pleased to have been recognised in this way as he hopes it will inspire others.

"As a student from non-selective Doncaster state school, Trinity Academy, I hope I can encourage others like me to try applying for Cambridge," he says. "It’s an amazing university with great facilities, and an atmosphere which really pushes me to achieve my best."

Our warmest congratulations to Jack.

 


Published by Rachel Gardner on Tuesday 14th December 2021