Development of long-term data acquisition system of noise exposure and personal behavior for analysis of health risk: Preliminary studies

• Published in: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America Vol. 131; no. 4_Supplement; p. 3223
• Main Authors: Fujimoto, Kazutoshi, Imaizumi, Hiroyuki, Anai, Ken, Hiraguri, Yasuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Acoustical Society of America (ASA) 01.04.2012
• ISSN: 0001-4966; 1520-8524
• DOI: 10.1121/1.4708021

To investigate relationship between individual noise exposure and the effect on health, firstly we have designed a measuring equipment because commercially-available noise exposure meter adopts the averaging times of a few minutes that are longer for our purpose. Requirements of the equipment we focus on are to measure (1) intermittent characteristic of noise that include the maximum level, the number of event, and level difference between background and target noises for sleep disturbance, and (2) equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels during 24h for physiological effect. Environmental condition especially in nighttime and position where people are exposed to noise are also important parameters to be taken into consideration. In addition to the noise exposure meter, the measuring equipment developed includes thermohygrometer, illuminator and smartphone. We pursue portability and simplicity throughout the equipment. We suppose that subjects put on the noise exposure meter and the smartphone on their waist in daytime. Accuracy of the noise exposure levels at the waist is examined by simultaneous measurement near the ear at various scenes in our daily life. Long-term measurement of individual noise exposure that several subjects participate in is performed to verify the equipment. This report presents the results of preliminary measurements.