scholarly journals Spatial evaluation of environmental noise with the use of participatory sensing system in Singapore

Noise Mapping ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 236-248
Author(s):  
Huey Ting Diong ◽  
Richard Neitzel ◽  
William Hal Martin
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Environmental Noise ◽  
Participatory Sensing ◽  
Environmental Sound ◽  
Community Noise ◽  
Sound Exposure ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Sound Maps

Abstract Existing studies in Singapore on environmental noise are scarce and limited in scale due to the need for expensive equipment and sophisticated modelling expertise. This study presents the approach of using participatory sensing and mobile phones to monitor environmental sound levels around Singapore. iPhones running the AmbiCiti application was adopted to sample equivalent continuous 30-second average outdoor sound levels (LAeq ,30 sec). The aggregated mean of each region was evaluated and the spatial distribution of environmental noise was analysed using noise maps generated from the measurement data. A total of 18,768 LAeq ,30 sec measurements were collected over ten weeks. About 93.6% of the daytime measurements (07:00 – 19:00) exceeded the WHO recommended level of 55 dBA to minimise negative non-auditory health effects due to noise. The results of this study suggest that the population of Singapore is potentially at risk of adverse non-auditory health effects and, to a lesser extent, hearing loss due to community noise levels. However, the measurements exceeding 70 dBA were frequent enough to warrant concern about contributions to the cumulative lifetime sound exposure contributing to hearing loss. The work also demonstrates that sound maps of an area can be efficiently generated using calibrated applications running on smart phones.

scholarly journals Quantification of Sound Exposure from Wind Turbines in France

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
David Ecotière ◽  
Patrick Demizieux ◽  
Gwenaël Guillaume ◽  
Lise Giorgis-Allemand ◽  
Anne-Sophie Evrard
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Environmental Noise ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Who Guidelines ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Noise Sources ◽  
Sound Exposure ◽  
Sound Levels

The WHO guidelines on environmental noise highlight that evidence on the health effects of wind turbine sound levels is either non-existent or of poor quality. In this context, a feasibility study was conducted in France in 2017. The objective was to suggest a methodology for calculating wind turbine sound levels in order to quantify the number of windfarms’ residents exposed to this sound. Based on a literature review, the Harmonoise model was selected for sound exposure calculation. It was validated by quantifying its uncertainties, and finally used to estimate the population exposed to wind turbine sound in metropolitan France. Compared to other environmental noise sources (e.g., transportation), sound exposure is very moderate, with more than 80% of the exposed people exposed to sound levels below 40 dBA. The total number of people exposed to more than 30 dBA is about 686,000 and 722,000 people for typical daytime and night-time meteorological conditions respectively, i.e., about 1% of the French population in 2017. These results represent the first ever assessment of sound exposure from wind turbines at the scale of the entire metropolitan France.

Risk for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss From Use of Portable Media Players: A Summary of Evidence Through 2008

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Fligor
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Absolute Number ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Sound Exposure ◽  
Risk Criteria ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Growing Body ◽  
Damage Risk

Abstract A growing body of evidence suggests that a small, but significant, percent of users of portable media players (PMP) are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) from abusive use. This manuscript provides a brief review of damage-risk criteria and the methodological hurdles to accurately measuring sound exposure from earphones. The capacity of all generations of PMP exists to produce sound levels that would allow a user to exceed established damage-risk criteria. Whether or not a PMP user exceeds damage-risk criteria depends in part on the type of earphone used and the background noise that exists in the ambient listening environment. To date, estimates of noise dose from PMP use suggest that only a fraction of consumers are at risk for NIHL, but, given the extraordinary population of these devices, the absolute number affected may be quite large. Estimates of noise-induced permanent threshold shift from using PMP at high levels for 2 and 4 hours per day over a 10-year period are given, as well as an estimate of the number of people who may have NIHL from PMP use.

Sound Exposure Levels Experienced by University Wind Band Members

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Jennifer Stewart Walter
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Wind Band ◽  
Cumulative Effect ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Sound Exposure ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Exposure Levels ◽  
University Setting

The purpose of this study was 1) to examine the sound exposure of wind band members in a university setting during a week of typical rehearsals and 2) to assess whether that exposure changes depending on subjects' location within the rehearsal space. Because excessive sound exposure has a cumulative effect on the ear that can eventually lead to noise-induced hearing loss, it is important to determine whether university musicians are at risk. A 100% dose of sound is the maximum daily exposure recommended by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for preventing noise-induced hearing loss. Twenty-four of 46 subjects (52%) experienced one or more rehearsals with sound levels high enough to produce >100% doses, and 17 subjects experienced a mean daily dose of sound in excess of 100% as compared to the NIOSH standards. Implications and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Ground Attenuation Factor Based on Measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (3) ◽  
pp. 3436-3447
Author(s):  
Dan Lin ◽  
Andrew Eng
Keyword(s):  
Near Field ◽  
Attenuation Factor ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Frequency Sound ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Noise Measurements ◽  
Field Sound

Assumptions made on the ground types between sound sources and receivers can significantly impact the accuracy of environmental outdoor noise prediction. A guideline is provided in ISO 9613-2 and the value of ground factor ranges from 0 to 1, depending on the coverage of porous ground. For example, a ground absorption factor of 1 is suggested for grass ground covers. However, it is unclear if the suggested values are validated. The purpose of this study is to determine the sound absorption of different types of ground by measurements. Field noise measurements were made using an omnidirectional loudspeaker and two microphones on three different types of ground in a quiet neighborhood. One microphone was located 3ft from the loudspeaker to record near field sound levels in 1/3 and 1 octave bands every second. The other microphone was located a few hundred feet away to record far field sound in the same fashion as the near field microphone. The types of ground tested were concrete, grass, and grass with trees. Based on the measurement data, it was found that grass and trees absorb high frequency sound well and a ground factor of 1 may be used for 500Hz and up when using ISO 9613-2 methodology. However, at lower frequencies (125 Hz octave band and below), grassy ground reflects sound the same as concrete surfaces. Trees absorb more low frequency sound than grass, but less than ISO 9613-2 suggested.

COVID-19 AND SOUNDSCAPE CHANGES DUE TO THE LOCKDOWN. THE CASE OF LIMA, PERU

Akustika ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
walter Montano ◽  
Elena Gushiken
Keyword(s):  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Environmental Sound ◽  
Educational Activities ◽  
Industrial Activities ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Temporary Closure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way of life of the world’s population, and initially all non-essential commercial and industrial activities in all countries were suspended, as well as the temporary closure of major airports and educational activities. As never before, environmental sound levels were reduced as a result of the quarantine, as the authorities ordered people to remain confined in their homes in order to reduce and prevent the SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Cities became silent and in some cases birds and wildlife “took over” this situation. This change in the soundscape led to sounds that were previously masked, now being heard, i.e. HVAC and other noises. This article presents the case of Lima, Peru, in which the impact and annoyance produced by aircrafts overflights are analyzed (during 2020); as well as the healthy soundscape levels achieved ‘thanks’ to the commercial lockdown and leisure activities.

scholarly journals Temporal Alterations to Central Auditory Processing without Synaptopathy after Lifetime Exposure to Environmental Noise

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Occelli ◽  
Florian Hasselmann ◽  
Jérôme Bourien ◽  
Jean-Luc Puel ◽  
Nathalie Desvignes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Sound Intensity ◽  
Environmental Noise ◽  
Central Auditory Processing ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Cochlear Hair Cells ◽  
Lifetime Exposure

Abstract People are increasingly exposed to environmental noise through the cumulation of occupational and recreational activities, which is considered harmless to the auditory system, if the sound intensity remains <80 dB. However, recent evidence of noise-induced peripheral synaptic damage and central reorganizations in the auditory cortex, despite normal audiometry results, has cast doubt on the innocuousness of lifetime exposure to environmental noise. We addressed this issue by exposing adult rats to realistic and nontraumatic environmental noise, within the daily permissible noise exposure limit for humans (80 dB sound pressure level, 8 h/day) for between 3 and 18 months. We found that temporary hearing loss could be detected after 6 months of daily exposure, without leading to permanent hearing loss or to missing synaptic ribbons in cochlear hair cells. The degraded temporal representation of sounds in the auditory cortex after 18 months of exposure was very different from the effects observed after only 3 months of exposure, suggesting that modifications to the neural code continue throughout a lifetime of exposure to noise.

Measurement and Prediction of Sound Exposure Levels by University Wind Bands

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kris Chesky
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Sound Exposure ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Wind Bands ◽  
Exposure Levels ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Over Time

The purpose of this study was to determine sound exposure levels generated in two college wind bands. Dosimeter data from a large sample of ensemble-based instructional activities (n = 43) was collected over time and processed to assess associations with predictor variables that may be relevant to this context, including indicators of time spend at various intensity levels, maximum and peak sound levels, degree of variability of sound levels over time, and the percentage of time playing music. The mean dose per event for the entire sample was 109.5% and ranged from 53.8% to 166.9%. Results of linear regression analysis revealed that regressors accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in dose (F = 128.42, p < 0.000) and a statistically significant and very large (96% variance accounted for) contribution to the prediction of dose. Findings implicate the critical role of the instructor and teaching pedagogy.

A Study of Noise Exposure and Hearing Sensitivity in a High School Woodworking Class

1993 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Lankford ◽  
Denise M. West
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Low Noise ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Single Class ◽  
Hearing Sensitivity ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Hearing Thresholds ◽  
Technical Drawing

The purpose of this study was to determine if noise in a high school woodworking class could contribute to the incidence of hearing loss. Students in the woodworking class served as the experimental group, and students in a technical drawing class were the control group. Four separate experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 consisted of measuring and comparing the sound levels in the woodworking and the technical drawing class environments. In Experiment 2, dosimetry samples of the students in both classrooms were collected. In Experiment 3, the temporary threshold shifts (TTSs) were determined for students in both groups by assessing hearing thresholds at the beginning and end of a single class period. The focus of Experiment 4 was to determine if a threshold shift had occurred in the hearing of the students in the woodworking class over a semester. Results of this study suggest that hazardous noise levels in the high school woodworking shop caused statistically significant TTS among the students. Relatively low noise doses were recorded, but no significant changes in hearing thresholds from the beginning to the end of the semester were noted. It was concluded that repeated noise exposure in a woodworking class may be a contributing factor to hearing loss among a student population and that a hearing conservation program should be instituted in these high school environments.

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