NoiseCapture App is an application dedicated to the
- evaluation of your noise environment. It allows to perform measurements and, thus, to
- give information on your noise exposure. In addition, you can contribute to the realization of collaborative (or community) noise
- maps by
- anonymously sharing your measurements.
NoiseCapture App is an application, made by experts, but do not forget that it will never replace a
- professional sonometer. If you need a professional assistance, please contact a specialist.
-
The quality of the measurement depend of the technical performance of the smartphone. Depending of the
- smartphone and the android version, some smartphone may produce bad estimation of the sound level. See
- section concerning the limits of noise measurement with a smartphone for more information.
-
- Start a measurement
On the
- Measurement menu item, press the
- RECORD button to start a measurement. You can stop the measurement by pressing the
- STOP button.
-
-
You can pause/resume a measurement using the
- PAUSE button. Depending on the corresponding
- Settings value, when resuming the measurement, the last seconds of the measurement can be
- removed.
What is displaying?
-
-
-
a horizontal level-meter and a numeric value showing the
- instantaneous sound level ('fast' level on 125ms) in dB(A) (A-weighted
- decibel). The color depend on the level range (each level range of 5dB is associated to a given color);
-
- statistical sound levels in dB(A): minimum (Min), maximum (Max) and the mean (Mean)
- values of the fast sound level;
-
a
- chronometer that gives the measurement duration in second;
-
an information is given concerning the
- GPS localization accuracy;
-
a
- noise level spectrum, showing the instantaneous sound level for each third-octave band
- between 100Hz and 16kHz. If you tap on the spectrum, it displays a
- time-frequency representation of noise.
-
-
- Give a description
-
On the
- Description menu item:
-
-
add a 'Description'
- , if needed;
-
add a 'Picture
- ', if needed;
-
evaluate the
- Pleasantness of the sound environment, by moving the cursor from 'Unpleasant' to 'Pleasant';
-
select one on more 'Tags' that correspond to your perception of the sound environment;
-
valid the description by pressing the
- VALID button.
-
-
This step is optional but it could be useful to evaluate the noise environments, as well as for a research
- purpose. Your contribution will be highly appreciated. Only the anonymous elements 'Pleasantness' and 'Tags' are
- uploads. The 'Description', as well as, the 'Picture', are stored on your smartphone only and, thus, not
- uploaded.
-
- Analyze results
-
On the
- Results menu item, you can access to several noise indicators.
-
While during measurements sound level are displayed in a 'fast' mode (125ms), final results are given in a
- 'slow' mode (1s), based on the 1s (one second) equivalent sound level (Leq,1s). Leq,1s is a standard environmental noise
- indicator, used for the evaluation of noise annoyance.
-
What is displaying?
-
-
- statistical sound levels in dB(A): minimum (Min) and maximum (Max);
NoiseCapture App is an application dedicated
+ to the evaluation of your noise
+ environment. It allows to perform measurements and, thus, to give
+ information on your noise exposure. In addition, you can contribute to the
+ realization of collaborative (or community) noise maps by anonymously
+ sharing your measurements.
LA90: A-weighted noise level that is exceeded for 90% of the measurement period. LA90 is a useful descriptor to quantify
- the
- background noise level;
-
LA50: A-weighted noise level that is exceeded for 50% of the measurement period. LA50 is the
- median sound level;
-
LA10: A-weighted noise level that is exceeded for 10% of the measurement period. LA10 is a useful descriptor of road
- traffic noise, which is correlated with the
- noise annoyance;
-
-
- equivalent noise level in dB(A), on the whole measurement duration [at the center of
- colored circle];
-
- repartition of the noise exposure (RNE): this indicator represents the distribution
- over the time of your noise exposure. Each of the five colors correspond to a given noise level range.
-
a
- noise level spectrum, showing the sound level for each third-octave band between 100Hz
- and 16kHz.
-
-
- Explore the map
-
On the
- Map menu item, users can access to a geo-referenced representation of the measurement
- that are stored in the smartphone memory. Users can choose to represent:
-
-
'Selected record', which corresponds to the last measurement or to a loaded previous measurement (see
- History for information);
-
'All records' stored in the smartphone memory;
-
'Community noise map': this noise map that is built using all data produced by all participating citizen. This
- noise map is stored on the web server and need an internet access to be displayed.
-
-
- Explore the measurement history
-
On the
- History menu item, users can access to all measurements that are stored in the smartphone
- memory.
-
All measurement that are performed with the smartphone are archived in the history. You can access to the state of the
- measurement ('Upload' or 'Not upload' to the server) with the 'Cloud' symbol,
-
By tapping on item from the history, you can:
-
-
'Upload to the community': if the corresponding measurement has not be automatically uploaded to the server, you
- can process to a manual upload;
-
'Export result': using a given application (message, drive...), you can export/save a ZIP file that contains all
- the metadata of the measurement. See the README document in the ZIP file for the description of the metadata. This is the same
- ZIP file that is upload to the web server;
-
'Edit description': you can modify the description of the corresponding measurement (same as the
- Description menu item). If the item has been already uploaded to the server, you can
- only modify the text description and the picture;
-
'Show result': you can access to the results of corresponding measurement (same as the
- Results menu item);
-
'Show on map': you can access to the map for the spatial representation of corresponding measurement (same as the
- Map menu item);
-
'Delete': select this option if you want to remove the measurement from your smartphone.
-
-
If a measurement is removed from the history, but was previously transferred to the web server, it is not
- removed from the web server. Remember that all data that are uploaded to the server are anonymized; thus, be confident! (see
- Privacy)
-
- Calibrate your smartphone
-
On the
- Calibration menu item, users have the opportunity to calibrate their smartphone.
-
The smartphone calibration is a crucial and necessary step. Without calibration, you can be sure that the
- measured data will be wrong!
-
-
The methodology is based on the knowledge of a
- Reference value for the equivalent noise level Leq (in dB, not in dB(A)) for a given
- duration, from a reference device (an acoustic calibrator, a calibrated smartphone, a sound level meter).
-
The calibration can be performed for a given frequency band or for the full range (global value).
-
This
- Reference value is then compared to the
- Measured Leq (in dB) using the smartphone. The difference between these two values
- gives a
- correction factor (i.e. the signal gain) that will be applied to the input signal.
-
-
The correction factor is applied for the whole signal. Multi-frequency calibration is not possible for
- now.
-
The calibration is carried out with dB values, not dB(A).
-
-
-
- Performing the calibration:
-
-
In the 'Calibration mode' list, choose the frequency on which you want perform the calibration. You can also
- chose to consider the full frequency range by selecting 'Global' in the list.
NoiseCapture App is an application, made by experts,
+ but do not forget that it will never replace a professional sonometer. If
+ you need a professional assistance, please contact a specialist.
+
The quality of the measurement depend of the technical
+ performance of the smartphone. Depending of the smartphone and the android
+ version, some smartphone may produce bad estimation of the sound level.
+ See section concerning the limits of noise
+ measurement with a smartphone for more information.
+
Start a measurement
+ On the Measurement menu item, press the RECORD
+ button to start a measurement. You can stop the measurement by
+ pressing the STOP button.
+
You can pause/resume a measurement using the PAUSE
+ button. Depending on the corresponding Settings
+ value, when resuming the measurement, the last seconds of the measurement
+ can be removed.
+ What is displaying?
+
+
a horizontal level-meter and a numeric value showing the instantaneous
+ sound level ('fast' level on 125ms) in dB(A) (A-weighted
+ decibel). The color depend on the level range (each level range of 5dB
+ is associated to a given color);
+
statistical sound levels in
+ dB(A): minimum (Min), maximum (Max) and the mean (Mean) values of the
+ fast sound level;
+
a chronometer that gives the
+ measurement duration in second;
+
an information is given concerning the GPS
+ localization accuracy;
+
a noise level spectrum,
+ showing the instantaneous sound level for each third-octave band between
+ 100Hz and 16kHz. If you tap on the spectrum, it displays a time-frequency
+ representation of noise.
+
+
Give a description
+
On the Description menu item:
+
+
add a 'Description' , if needed;
+
add a 'Picture ', if needed;
+
evaluate the Pleasantness of the sound environment, by
+ moving the cursor from 'Unpleasant' to 'Pleasant';
+
select one on more 'Tags' that correspond to your perception of the
+ sound environment;
+
valid the description by pressing the VALID
+ button.
+
+
This step is optional but it could be useful to evaluate
+ the noise environments, as well as for a research purpose. Your
+ contribution will be highly appreciated. Only the anonymous elements
+ 'Pleasantness' and 'Tags' are uploads. The 'Description', as well as, the
+ 'Picture', are stored on your smartphone only and, thus, not uploaded.
+
Analyze results
+
On the Results menu item, you
+ can access to several noise indicators.
+
While during measurements sound level are displayed in a 'fast' mode
+ (125ms), final results are given in a 'slow' mode (1s), based on the 1s
+ (one second) equivalent sound level (Leq,1s). Leq,1s is a standard
+ environmental noise indicator, used for the evaluation of noise annoyance.
+
What is displaying?
+
+
statistical sound levels in
+ dB(A): minimum (Min) and maximum (Max);
+
percentile noise levels in
+ dB(A) over the whole measurement duration:
-
Before calibration starts, you have a warm-up time that can help you to prepare your calibration (prepare to turn on
- the reference device, if necessary).
-
Then, the calibration measurement starts for a given duration. For a better accuracy, the measurement duration should
- be the same both for the smartphone and for the reference device.
-
-
Once the measurement is done, enter the
- Reference value (from the reference device) in the edit box and press the
- APPLY button.
-
If you do not want to apply the correction factor, you can press the
- RESET button to perform a new calibration or you can leave the Calibration
- activity.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Testing the calibration:
+
LA90: A-weighted noise level that is exceeded for 90% of the
+ measurement period. LA90 is a useful descriptor to quantify the background noise level;
+
LA50: A-weighted noise level that is exceeded for 50% of the
+ measurement period. LA50 is the median
+ sound level;
+
LA10: A-weighted noise level that is exceeded for 10% of the
+ measurement period. LA10 is a useful descriptor of road traffic
+ noise, which is correlated with the noise
+ annoyance;
+
+
+
equivalent noise level in
+ dB(A), on the whole measurement duration [at the center of colored
+ circle];
+
repartition of the noise exposure
+ (RNE): this indicator represents the distribution over the time of your
+ noise exposure. Each of the five colors correspond to a given noise
+ level range.
+
a noise level spectrum,
+ showing the sound level for each third-octave band between 100Hz and
+ 16kHz.
+
+
Explore the map
+
On the Map menu item, users can
+ access to a geo-referenced representation of the measurement that are
+ stored in the smartphone memory. Users can choose to represent:
+
+
'Selected record', which corresponds to the last measurement or to a
+ loaded previous measurement (see History
+ for information);
+
'All records' stored in the smartphone memory;
+
'Community noise map': this noise map that is built using all data
+ produced by all participating citizen. This noise map is stored on the
+ web server and need an internet access to be displayed.
+
+
Explore the measurement history
+
On the History menu item, users
+ can access to all measurements that are stored in the smartphone memory.
+
All measurement that are performed with the smartphone are archived in
+ the history. You can access to the state of the measurement ('Upload' or
+ 'Not upload' to the server) with the 'Cloud' symbol,
+
By tapping on item from the history, you can:
+
+
'Upload to the community': if the corresponding measurement has not be
+ automatically uploaded to the server, you can process to a manual
+ upload;
+
'Export result': using a given application (message, drive...), you
+ can export/save a ZIP file that contains all the metadata of the
+ measurement. See the README document in the ZIP file for the description
+ of the metadata. This is the same ZIP file that is upload to the web
+ server;
+
'Edit description': you can modify the description of the
+ corresponding measurement (same as the Description
+ menu item). If the item has been already uploaded to the server, you can
+ only modify the text description and the picture;
+
'Show result': you can access to the results of corresponding
+ measurement (same as the Results
+ menu item);
+
'Show on map': you can access to the map for the spatial
+ representation of corresponding measurement (same as the Map
+ menu item);
+
'Delete': select this option if you want to remove the measurement
+ from your smartphone.
+
+
If a measurement is removed from the history, but was
+ previously transferred to the web server, it is not removed from the web
+ server. Remember that all data that are uploaded to the server are
+ anonymized; thus, be confident! (see Privacy)
+
Calibrate your smartphone
+
On the Calibration menu item,
+ users have the opportunity to calibrate their smartphone.
+
The smartphone calibration is a crucial and necessary
+ step. Without calibration, you can be sure that the measured data will be
+ wrong!
+
+
The methodology is based on the knowledge of a Reference
+ value for the equivalent noise level Leq (in dB, not in dB(A))
+ for a given duration, from a reference device (an acoustic calibrator, a
+ calibrated smartphone, a sound level meter).
+
Depending on the calibration method, the calibration can be performed
+ for a given frequency band or for the full range (global value).
+
This Reference value is then
+ compared to the Measured Leq
+ (in dB) using the smartphone. The difference between these two values
+ gives a correction factor (i.e.
+ the signal gain) that will be applied to the input signal.
+
+
The correction factor is applied for the whole signal.
+ Multi-frequency calibration is not possible for now.
+
The calibration is carried out with dB values, not
+ dB(A).
The correction factor can also be set manually in the
+ Settings menu.
+
Calibration from a reference device or
+ a clibrator
+
+
Performing
+ the calibration:
+
+
In the 'Calibration mode' list, choose the frequency on which you
+ want perform the calibration. If you calibrate from a reference
+ device (e. g. sound level meter), you can also choose 'Global' from
+ the list to calibrate over the entire measurement spectrum. In the
+ latter case, remember to configure the reference device to perform a
+ measurement in the same frequency band as your smartphone.
+
Press the START button.
+
+
Before calibration starts, you have a warm-up time that can
+ help you to prepare your calibration (prepare to turn on the
+ reference device, if necessary).
+
Then, the calibration measurement starts for a given duration.
+ For a better accuracy, the measurement duration should be the
+ same both for the smartphone and for the reference device.
+
+
+
Once the measurement is done, enter the Reference
+ value (from the reference device) in the edit box and press
+ the APPLY button.
+
If you do not want to apply the correction factor, you can press
+ the RESET button to perform
+ a new calibration or you can leave the Calibration activity.
+
+
+
+
+
Testing
+ the calibration:
+
+
Once a correction factor is applied, you can test the calibration
+ by checking the box 'Test gain'.
+
Press the START button
+ for performing a new measurement and turn on (if necessary) the
+ reference device.
+
At the end of the measurement, the Measured
+ Leq should be equal or quite similar to the reference
+ device.
+
Given the procedure and equipment involved, you may consider
+ acceptable a difference up to 0.5dB between the two values. If the
+ difference is not accetable, restart the Calibration procédure.
+ After several attempts, if you can not calibrate your smartphone
+ phone with a difference of less than 0.5dB, you can restart with an
+ error of 1dB.
+
+
+
+
When using a 'Global' value for the calibration, make sure
+ that the Reference value will be
+ obtained using the same frequency range that your smartphone.
+
The 'Calibration warm-up time' and the 'Calibration
+ duration' can be modified in the Settings.
+
During calibration, the smartphone and the reference device
+ must be used in a similar way.
+
Automatic calibration from a calibrated
+ smartphone
+
In this method, a smartphone already calibrated with NoiseCapture, can in
+ turn calibrate one or more smartphones. On the side of the microphones to
+ be calibrated, the procedure is fully automatic. The entire system is
+ controlled by the reference smartphone.
+
+
Performing
+ the calibration:
+
+
+
+
The reference smartphone must in "transmitter" mode.
+
The smartphones to be calibrated must be in "receiver" mode.
+
On the reference smartphone:
-
Once a correction factor is applied, you can test the calibration by checking the box 'Test gain'.
-
Press the
- START button for performing a new measurement and turn on (if necessary) the
- reference device.
-
At the end of the measurement, the
- Measured Leq should be equal or quite similar to the reference device.
-
Given the procedure and equipment involved, you may consider acceptable a difference up to 0.5dB between the two
- values. If the difference is not accetable, restart the Calibration procédure. After several attempts, if you can not calibrate your smartphone
- phone with a difference of less than 0.5dB, you can restart with an error of 1dB.
+
Select the source signal:
+
+
"Pink rose" : in this case, the smartphone generates a reference
+ signal. It is necessary to use a sound source connected wirelessly
+ with the reference smartphone, the source being at equal distance
+ from all smartphones;
+
"Ambient noise" : Environmental noise is used for calibration. The
+ sound level must be sufficiently high and the sound field must be
+ relatively "diffuse".
+
+
Press Start; the rest of the procedure is automatic. You can
+ cancel the current calibration with the Cancel button.
-
-
-
When using a 'Global' value for the calibration, make sure that the
- Reference value will be obtained using the same frequency range that your smartphone.
-
The 'Calibration warm-up time' and the 'Calibration duration' can be modified in the
- Settings.
-
During calibration, the smartphone and the reference device must be used in a similar way.
-
The correction factor (the signal gain) can also be manually given in the
- Settings.
-
- What are the limits of noise measurement with a smartphone
-
- Device requirements for Android compatibility
-
-
The
- Android Compatibility Definition Document (CDD)
- "enumerates the requirements that must be met in order for devices to be compatible with the latest version of Android.
- To be considered compatible with Android, device implementations MUST meet the requirements presented in this Compatibility
- Definition" (
- text from Android
- 5.1 CDD).
-
According to the CDD:
-
-
The device SHOULD exhibit approximately flat amplitude versus frequency characteristics: specifically, ±3dB, from 100Hz to
- 4000Hz.
-
Audio input sensitivity SHOULD be set such that a 90dB sound power level (SPL) source at 1000Hz yields RMS of 2500 for
- 16-bit samples.
-
PCM amplitude levels SHOULD linearly track input SPL changes over at least a 30dB range from -18dB to +12dB re 90 dB SPL at
- the microphone.
-
Total harmonic distortion SHOULD be less than 1% for 1kHz at 90dB SPL input level at the microphone.
-
-
In addition, it is specified that "
- While some of the requirements outlined in this section are stated as SHOULD since Android 4.3, the Compatibility Definition
- for a future version is planned to change these to MUST. Existing and new Android devices are very strongly encouraged to meet
- these requirements, or they will not be able to attain Android compatibility when upgraded to the future version."
-
- What does it theoretically means?
-
Thus, the quality of the noise measurement:
-
-
depends both of the device and of the Android version.
-
should be quite verified between 100Hz and 4000Hz (frequency response).
-
should be quite linear (amplitude response) in a range from -18dB to +12dB relatively to 90dB (Sound Pressure Level).
-
-
- In conclusion, in the current situation, even after a rigorous calibration and without any
- further correction, it is not possible to ensure the quality of the measurement for low and high noise levels, as well as,
- beyond 4000Hz, whatever the device and the Android version. One can however assume that next smartphone generations should
- ensure a better measurement quality.
-
-
-
- Best practice for the best noise measurement
-
- In order to perform a correct noise measurement:
-
-
-
The smartphone must be
- calibrated (see
- Calibration);
-
The smartphone must be
- outside the clothing pockets;
-
The smartphone has to be
- in the hand;
-
The smartphone microphone
- must not to be masked;
-
If possible, uses an
- external omnidirectional microphone.
-
- In addition, if you want to produce noise measurements that will be very useful for producing
- collaborative (outdoor) noise maps, please check these points:
-
-
-
The measurement must be
- performed outside buildings;
-
The measurement must be done when the
- GPS signal is correct;
-
- 'Tags' must be specified when the measurement is complete (see
- Description).
-
-
- Resources
-
-
- Acoustic Glossary: a very useful glossary in Acoustics and
- Vibration, maintained by Gracey & Associates;
-
- Acoustics: the definition of 'Acoustics' in
- Wikipedia;
-
- Environmental noise: many official information about
- 'Noise' from the European Environment Agency.
-
+
Best practice for the best noise
+ measurement
+
In order to perform a correct noise
+ measurement:
+
+
The smartphone must be calibrated
+ (see Calibration);
+
The smartphone must be outside the
+ clothing pockets;
+
The smartphone has to be in the hand;
+
The smartphone microphone must not
+ to be masked;
+
If possible, uses an external
+ omnidirectional microphone.
+
+ In addition, if you want to produce noise
+ measurements that will be very useful for producing collaborative
+ (outdoor) noise maps, please check these points:
+
+
The measurement must be performed
+ outside buildings;
+
The measurement must be done when the GPS
+ signal is correct;
+
'Tags' must be specified
+ when the measurement is complete (see Description).
+
+
Resources
+
+
Acoustic
+ Glossary: a very useful glossary in Acoustics and Vibration,
+ maintained by Gracey & Associates;
+
Acoustics:
+ the definition of 'Acoustics' in Wikipedia;
+
Environmental
+ noise: many official information about 'Noise' from the European
+ Environment Agency.
The device SHOULD exhibit approximately flat amplitude versus frequency characteristics: specifically, ±3dB, from 100Hz to
- 4000Hz.
-
Audio input sensitivity SHOULD be set such that a 90dB sound power level (SPL) source at 1000Hz yields RMS of 2500 for
- 16-bit samples.
-
PCM amplitude levels SHOULD linearly track input SPL changes over at least a 30dB range from -18dB to +12dB re 90 dB SPL at
- the microphone.
-
Total harmonic distortion SHOULD be less than 1% for 1kHz at 90dB SPL input level at the microphone.
-
-
In addition, it is specified that "
- While some of the requirements outlined in this section are stated as SHOULD since Android 4.3, the Compatibility Definition
- for a future version is planned to change these to MUST. Existing and new Android devices are very strongly encouraged to meet
- these requirements, or they will not be able to attain Android compatibility when upgraded to the future version."