Noctua previews fuzzy fan tech
 

Long popular with quiet-PC builders and enthusiasts, Noctua previewed some interesting new technologies at Computex 2014 last week. First up was a velvet-like flock coating that can be applied to fan blades or frames in order to reduce noise:

The flock coating creates a turbulent boundary layer on the suction side of the fan blades (impeller coating) or inner side of the fan frame (frame coating), which results in better flow attachment and reduced flow separation. Initial test results show up to 2dB(A) lower noise levels in free flow and low impedance applications, but the technology is still in an experimental stage.

http://techreport.com/news/26625/noc...-new-heatpipes