Options
Testing the accuracy of smartphones and sound level meter applications for measuring environmental noise
Author(s)
Date Issued
2016-05
Date Available
2018-05-01T01:00:11Z
Abstract
This paper reports on experimental tests undertaken to assess the capability of noise monitoring applications to be utilized as an alternative low cost solution to traditional noise monitoring using a sound level meter. The methodology consisted of testing 100 smartphones in a reverberation room. Broadband white noise was utilized to test the ability of smartphones to measure noise at background, 50, 70 and 90 dB(A) and these measurements were compared with true noise levels acquired via a calibrated sound level meter. Tests were conducted on phones using the Android and iOS platforms. For each smartphone, tests were completed separately for leading noise monitoring apps culminating in 1472 tests. The results suggest that apps written for the iOS platform are superior to those running on the Android platform. They show that one of the apps tested – SLA Lite – is within ±1 dB of true noise levels across four different reference conditions. The results also show that there is a significant relationship between phone age and its ability to measure noise accurately. The research has implications for the future use of smartphones as low cost monitoring and assessment devices for environmental noise.
Sponsorship
Irish Research Council
Other Sponsorship
Fulbright Scholarship
College of Engineering, Technology and Architecture Faculty Student Engagement Grant at the University of Hartford, USA
Type of Material
Journal Article
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal
Applied Acoustics
Volume
106
Start Page
16
End Page
22
Copyright (Published Version)
2015 Elsevier
Language
English
Status of Item
Peer reviewed
This item is made available under a Creative Commons License
File(s)
No Thumbnail Available
Name
TestingSmartphoneAccuracy_MurphyKing_Repository.pdf
Size
429.1 KB
Format
Owning collection
Scopus© citations
127
Acquisition Date
Mar 19, 2024
Mar 19, 2024
Views
2010
Acquisition Date
Mar 19, 2024
Mar 19, 2024
Downloads
3200
Last Week
15
15
Last Month
38
38
Acquisition Date
Mar 19, 2024
Mar 19, 2024