Is there an app that measures noise level?

Noise pollution has increasingly become a public health concern. Exposure to loud noises, both sudden and prolonged, can lead to hearing loss and other health issues like high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, and stress (EPA). With more people using personal audio devices and living in urban areas with traffic and construction noise, monitoring noise levels has become important for protecting hearing health.

Smartphone apps that measure decibel levels now offer an easy way for people to monitor the noise around them. By seeing noise levels in real-time, these apps can raise awareness of just how loud certain environments are and encourage users to take steps to protect their hearing when necessary. This article will provide an overview of the top apps for measuring noise, key features to look for, and how accurate phone microphones are for detecting sound levels.

Noise and Hearing Loss

Prolonged exposure to loud noise can cause permanent hearing damage over time. Noise above 85 decibels (dB) can harm hearing if exposed for extended periods. The louder the noise, the shorter the safe exposure time. Noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm (CDC).

Hearing loss from noise exposure is gradual and painless, so many don’t realize the damage until significant hearing loss has occurred. Noise damages the hair cells in the inner ear that send sound signals to the brain. Once damaged, these cells cannot grow back.

Some examples of decibel levels that can be harmful with prolonged exposure:

  • 90 dB – lawnmower, shop tools
  • 100 dB – motorcycle, sporting event
  • 110 dB – rock concert, chainsaw
  • 120 dB – jet plane at takeoff

Even common sounds can be dangerous over time, like traffic noise at 85 dB or a noisy restaurant at 90 dB (NIDCD). To protect hearing, limit exposure to loud sounds or wear ear protection like earplugs or earmuffs.

Noise Exposure Guidelines

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to loud noises can lead to hearing loss and other health issues like cardiovascular problems, cognitive impairment, and tinnitus. The WHO has established noise level guidelines to help prevent these potential health risks.

The WHO recommends average noise exposure should be less than 70 dB over a 24-hour period and peak noise exposure should be below 85 dB to avoid permanent hearing damage. For night noise exposure specifically, the WHO states levels should stay under 40 dB on average per night outside of bedrooms to prevent adverse health effects like sleep disturbance.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also cautions against consistent exposure above 70 dB and suggests it can lead to gradual hearing loss over time. The CDC notes that sounds at or above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to hearing.

Following these evidence-based noise exposure recommendations from authoritative health organizations like the WHO and CDC can help minimize the risks of developing noise-induced hearing loss and other hearing problems.

Benefits of Measuring Noise

There are many benefits to regularly monitoring noise levels. The most important advantage is protecting hearing health. Exposure to consistent loud noises over 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss. Checking sound levels allows people to avoid damaging environments and safeguard hearing.

Tracking noise also leads to improved sleep quality. Exposure to nighttime noise pollution disrupts sleep patterns. Using a sound meter app shows if bedrooms and sleeping areas are too loud at night. Lowering noise results in better rest.

In workplaces, monitoring noise levels enhances productivity. Loud sounds make it difficult for employees to concentrate and communicate with one another. Maintaining moderate sound levels creates a better environment for focus and efficiency.

Regularly checking noise can also flag potential machinery issues and prevent sick building syndrome. Overall, tracking sound levels provides many health and performance advantages that improve quality of life.

Noise Measuring Apps

There are several apps available on iOS and Android devices that can effectively measure sound levels using the built-in microphone on smartphones. Some of the most popular and accurate noise measuring apps include:

NIOSH Sound Level Meter – Developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, this free iOS app measures sound levels in A, C, and Z-weighted decibels and captures measurement data including time-weighted averages. It provides comparison to recommended exposure limits and shows measurements on a color-coded graph and meter.

SoundPrint – Available on both iOS and Android, this free app crowdsources noise level data from users to create dynamic maps of sound levels at restaurants, coffee shops, and other venues. It allows you to search average decibel readings by location.

Noise Hunter – This iOS app analyzes noise frequency spectrum and sources, computes time-weighted averages, and can export CSV data. The pro version unlocks additional analysis features including octave band frequencies.

These apps utilize the built-in microphone on smartphones to provide reliable, calibrated sound level measurements. Features like data logging, frequency analysis, and time-weighted averages can assist in monitoring noise exposure over time.

Key Features

There are several key features that make noise measurement apps useful for monitoring sound exposure.

One of the most important features is the ability to measure decibel levels. The apps use the microphone on your smartphone to measure the loudness of sounds in dB (decibels). They can measure a wide range of volumes from quiet libraries to loud concerts [1]. This allows you to see exactly how loud your environment is.

Another useful feature is creating noise maps or heat maps. Some apps can take decibel readings from your phone and plot them on a map over time to illustrate noise patterns geographically. This visual representation makes it easy to identify areas with excessive noise pollution [2].

Many of the apps also have sound recording capability. This allows you to take an audio sample of the noises around you while also measuring the decibel levels. The recording creates an acoustic fingerprint that demonstrates exactly what you were hearing [3].

Additional capabilities like data exporting, noise blocking, hearing tests, and more can optimize these apps for monitoring personal exposure and protecting hearing health.


[1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noisefit&hl=en_IN
[2] https://apps.apple.com/in/app/noisefit-health-fitness/id1498457147

[3] https://help.gonoise.com/pages/app-page

Accuracy Factors

The accuracy of noise measurement apps can vary substantially depending on the phone model, calibration, and microphone used. According to research, measurement accuracy can differ by over 10 decibels between high-end and low-end smartphone models (1). This is likely due to differences in microphone sensitivity and frequency response across devices.

Proper calibration is also essential for achieving accurate, consistent results. Most noise measurement apps require the user to calibrate the phone by holding it in a quiet space to set the baseline noise floor. However, the sensitivity and calibration can drift over time, especially as the phone microphone gets dirty or damaged (2). Apps that allow manual calibration adjustments may provide better long-term accuracy.

Furthermore, since smartphones use tiny built-in microphones, they can struggle to capture low frequency noises accurately. High-quality external microphones can improve low frequency response and overall measurement accuracy significantly (3). However, external mics add cost and reduce portability.

In summary, factors like phone model, calibration, and microphone selection greatly impact the accuracy of noise measurement apps. Using high-end phones, frequent recalibration, and external mics can improve results, but may reduce convenience and affordability for basic consumer use cases.

Sources:

(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4545478/

(2) https://canadianaudiologist.ca/feature-4/

(3) https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2014/04/09/sound-apps/

Use Cases

Noise measuring apps have a wide variety of use cases across many different environments. Some key examples include:

Offices – Apps like the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app [1] can be used in office settings to measure ambient noise levels and ensure they do not exceed recommended limits. This allows employers to identify overly loud areas that may impact worker concentration or contribute to hearing damage over time.

Construction Sites – On busy construction sites, workers can be exposed to potentially dangerous noise from heavy machinery and power tools [2]. Apps provide an easy way to monitor noise exposure and determine if additional hearing protection is needed.

Concerts and Events – Attendees at loud concerts, sporting events, and other recreational activities often experience temporary or permanent hearing loss. Noise apps allow people to check sound levels and determine if they have reached hazardous levels [3].

Urban Areas – Measuring ambient noise in crowded cities and near traffic areas helps urban planners determine where noise mitigation strategies like sound barriers may be beneficial. Apps provide an accessible noise monitoring tool.

Overall, the portability and simplicity of noise measuring apps makes them useful across many different real-world use cases where excessive noise can impact health and quality of life.

[1] https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/app.html
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10686533/
[3] https://www.cirrusresearch.co.uk/blog/2021/10/sound-level-meter-apps-accuracy/

Limitations

While noise monitoring apps can provide some useful functionality, they also come with some limitations to be aware of. Some key drawbacks include:

Battery usage – Constantly running the app to monitor noise levels can quickly drain a phone’s battery. This limits the ability for long-term monitoring (NIOSH, 2014).

Privacy concerns – Some noise monitoring apps can access microphone data frequently, raising privacy issues around collecting audio data (Canadian Audiologist, 2022).

Cost – While there are some free apps, many advanced noise monitoring apps charge a subscription fee or upfront cost. This can limit access for those unable or unwilling to pay (Huyan et al., 2023).

Accuracy limitations – Factors like microphone quality, calibration, and positioning can impact accuracy. Most smartphones are not laboratory-grade sound level meters (NIOSH, 2014).

Overall, while useful in some situations, noise monitoring apps have limitations around battery, privacy, cost, and accuracy that impact their effectiveness for long-term, precise noise level monitoring.

Conclusion

In summary, monitoring and controlling noise levels is critical for preventing noise-induced hearing loss. With continued exposure to loud sounds, permanent damage to hearing can occur over time. Using a reliable sound level meter app allows you to measure decibel levels in various environments and take action to avoid exceeding recommended limits. Key features to look for in sound meter apps include accuracy, calibration tools, logging capabilities, and noise warnings. While apps have limitations compared to professional equipment, they can serve as handy screening tools for assessing potential hearing hazards. By downloading a sound level meter app and regularly monitoring noise, you can better protect your hearing health over the long-term.

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