Why we care for Noise
Noise can be harmful or simply be something you want to avoid at certain times. Our noise map indicates noise exposure in different areas to the community. Results can for example be used by individuals to create awareness about their noisy neighborhoods and for health studies. We are in particular interested in gathering noise levels in an efficient and load minimizing way for our participants.
| Noise - what it could be | Average decibels (dB) |
|---|---|
| Leaves rustling, soft music, whisper | 30 |
| Average home noise | 40 |
| Normal conversation, background music | 60 |
| Office noise, inside car at 60 mph | 70 |
| Vacuum cleaner, average radio | 75 |
| Heavy traffic, window air conditioner,
noisy restaurant, power lawn mower |
80-89 (sounds above |
| Subway, shouted conversation | 90-95 |
| Boom box, ATV, motorcycle | 96-100 |
| School dance | 101-105 |
| Chainsaw, leaf blower, snowmobile | 106-115 |
| Sports crowd, rock concert, loud symphony | 120-129 |
| Stock car races | 130 |
| Gun shot, siren at 100 feet | 140 |
- Noise-Planet teaming up with the Geneva University Hospital and EPFL to study relations between exposure to noise and certain diseases
- TenderNoise - noise exposure in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco
- Chatty Maps - the sounds of various cities