SmarterNoise

SmarterNoise is a sound level meter that measures sound levels in video and audio modes, records video and sound, and informs you about the risks of noise exposure. With SmarterNoise you can also record audio and measure long-term while the app is running in the background. SmarterNoise includes a camera, optional location data, and easy sharing of measurement results as well. From the archive you can go back to the video and audio files you've saved on your phone. With SmarterNoise you take sound level and noise measuring to a new level never available before. SmarterNoise features smart icons that react to the measured sound levels based on current research results focusing on the health and well-being effects of noise pollution. With the SmarterNoise icons you easily understand how hearing, cognitive performance, health and hearing may be effected during different levels of noise exposure. Awareness of the harmful effects of noise is increasing globally, and exposure to noise is considered a versatile risk factor for well-being and health, especially in noise-polluted urban environments. The unit for measuring noise and sound is called a decibel. Because the decibel scale is logarithmic, a sound with an intensity that is twice that of a reference sound corresponds to an increase of about decibels. The reference point of decibel is set at the intensity of the least perceptible sound, the threshold of hearing. On such a scale a -decibel sound is times the intensity of the reference sound. Highlighting this is important as already a few decibels higher or lower makes a noticeable difference in how noise is perceived. The preferred method to describe sound levels that vary over time, resulting in a single decibel value measuring the total sound energy over the period is called Leq. It is however common practice to measure sound levels using the A-weighting, which effectively cuts off the lower and higher frequencies, that the average person cannot hear. In this case Leq is written as LAeq. LAeq measures a formulated average which emphasizes higher sound peaks, and is one of the most common measurements used by professionals to measure noise. All averages in SmarterNoise are measured in LAeq. According to the findings of the World Health Organisation (WHO), noise is the second largest environmental cause of health problems, after the impact of air quality. While environmental awareness in general has increased, the burden from noise has not yet been realized by the general public. People especially in urban environments are subjected to noise during day and night, at home and at work. Noise pollution has increased over the years due to extensive traffic, increased air travel, urbanization, and industrial noise exposure. Because of the complex and frequent issue of everyday noise, we developed SmarterNoise in order for people to understand noise better.