Development of a methodology for monitoring acoustic noise using mobile phones for ordinary citizens

Abstract

In the context of the "4 th industrial revolution" that is taking shape, people with certain knowledge, experience and ecological culture are more actively involved in individual and collective decision-making to overcome various environmental problems. One of these environmental problems is the acoustic noise of the environment. Today, many citizens are wondering: what is the level of acoustic noise pollution in the place where I live, work, study or stay and whether it meets the standards. Is this sound level harmful to my health? To answer these questions, many international and national standards and other regulatory documents have been developed. However, these documents are complex, require the use of expensive equipment, i.e. inaccessible to ordinary citizens. On the other hand, the computational, communication and sensory capabilities of modern mobile phones allow them to measure noise performance in order to conduct noise monitoring. To do this, citizens need simple and clear methods, methodologies, instructions for assessing the noise situation in a certain area and creating noise maps using these measurements. The article attempts to develop a simplified methodology for conducting noise monitoring for citizens using their mobile phones. Also, for clarity of the process, monitoring experiments were carried out with mobile phones and professional sound level meters, in order to assess the harmful effects of traffic noise (B. Vahabzade Avenue) on an educational institution (Baku State University – BSU) and research activities (Institute Information Technology-IIT). In preparing the article, general scientific methods and methodologies were used, such as analysis and synthesis, comparison, generalization, and a systematic approach. Citizens can use the survey results to identify areas of noise discomfort using their mobile phones