The Secret Symphony of City Nightlife: Unveiling the Soundscapes of Pubs and Bars

Wai Ming To – wmto@mpu.edu.mo

Macao Polytechnic University, R. de Luís Gonzaga Gomes, Macao, Macao, 00000, Macao

Andy Chung

Popular version of 3aNSb – Noise Dynamics in City Nightlife: Assessing Impact and Potential Solutions for Residential Proximity to Pubs and Bars
Presented at the 185 ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0023229

Please keep in mind that the research described in this Lay Language Paper may not have yet been peer reviewed.

Picture a typical evening in the heart of a bustling city: pubs and bars come alive, echoing with laughter, music, and the clink of glasses. These hubs of social life create a vibrant tapestry of sounds. But what happens when this symphony overshadows the tranquility of those living just around the corner?

Image courtesy of Kvikoo, Singapore

Our journey begins in the lively interiors of these establishments. In countries rich in nightlife, you’ll find a high concentration of pubs and bars – sometimes up to 150 per 100,000 people. Inside a pub in Hong Kong, for instance, noise levels can soar to 80 decibels during peak hours, akin to the din of city traffic. Even during ‘happy hours,’ the decibel count hovers around 75, still significant.

But let’s step outside these walls. Here, the story takes a different turn. In residential areas adjacent to these nightspots, the evening air is often filled with an unintended soundtrack: the persistent hum of nightlife. In a study from Macedonia, for instance, residents experienced noise levels of about 67 decibels in the evening – a consistent background murmur disrupting the peace of homes.

This issue isn’t just about sound; it’s about the voices of those affected. Residents’ complaints about noise pollution have become a chorus in many parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Australia. These complaints highlight a pressing question: How can we maintain the lively spirit of our cities while respecting the need for quiet?

Governments and communities are tuning into this challenge. Their responses, colored by cultural and historical factors, range from strict regulations to innovative solutions. For example, in Hong Kong, efforts to control noise at its source, as detailed in a government booklet, showcase one way of striking a balance.

This is a story of harmony – finding a middle ground where the joyous buzz of pubs and bars coexists with the serene rhythm of residential life. It’s about understanding that in the symphony of city life, every note, from the loudest cheer to the softest whisper, plays a crucial role.

How loud is traffic near you?

Mylan Cook – mylan.cook@gmail.com

Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 84602, United States

Kent. L. Gee, Mark K. Transtrum, Shane V. Lympany

Popular version of 4aCA5 – Big data to streamlined app: Nationwide traffic noise prediction
Presented at the 184 ASA Meeting
Read the abstract at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0018816

VROOM! Vehicles are loud, and we hear them all the time. But how loud is it near your home, or at the park across town? The National Transportation Noise Map can’t give you more than an average daily sound level, even though it’s probably a lot quieter at night and louder during rush hour. So, we created an app that can predict the noise where, when, and how you want. How loud is it by that interstate at 3 AM, or at 5 PM? Using physics-based modeling, we can predict that for you. Why does the noise sound lower in pitch near the freeway than near other roads? Probably because of all the large trucks. How does the noise on your street during the winter compare to that across town, or on the other side of the country? Our app can predict that for you in a snap.

This (aptly named) app is called VROOM, for the Vehicular Reduced-Order Observation-based Model. It was made by using observed hourly traffic counts at stations across the country. It also uses information such as the average percentage of heavy trucks on freeways at night and the average number of delivery trucks on smaller roads on weekdays to predict sound characteristics across the nation. The app includes a user-friendly interface, and with only 700 MB of stored data can predict traffic noise for roads throughout the country, including near where you live. You don’t need a supercomputer to get a good estimate. The app will show you the sound levels by creating an interactive map so you can zoom in to see what the noise looks like downtown or near your home.

So how loud is traffic near you?

The Roar and Crackle of Artemis 1

An array of four microphones ready for noise measurements for Artemis 1. Credit: Kent Gee

An array of four microphones ready for noise measurements. Credit: Kent Gee

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2023 – When the Artemis 1 mission was launched by NASA’s Space Launch System, SLS, in November, it became the world’s most powerful rocket, exceeding the thrust of the previous record holder, Saturn 5, by 13%. With liftoff came a loud roar heard miles away. In JASA Express Letters, published on behalf of the Acoustical Society of America by AIP Publishing, researchers from Brigham Young University and Rollins College in Florida reported…click to read more

From the Journal: JASA Express Letters
Article: Space launch system acoustics: Far-field noise measurements of the Artemis-I launch
DOI: 10.1121/10.0016878

Supersonic Travel, Without the Sonic Boom #ASA183

The NASA Quesst mission will fly a supersonic aircraft over various communities to test noise-mitigating technology.

Media Contact:
Ashley Piccone
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 6, 2022 – Supersonic aircraft generate a series of shock waves that merge into two distinct booms. The planes drag these incredibly loud sounds along their flight path, creating unacceptable noise levels over land. So far, sonic booms have prevented commercial supersonic flight over land, but fixing the noise could cut flight times in half.

NASA’s X-59 aircraft will fly over communities to test supersonic flight without the sonic boom. Credit: NASA

At the 183rd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, Gautam Shah of NASA Langley Research Center will present “NASA’s Quesst mission—Community Response Testing Plans,” in which he will discuss the plans to test a supersonic aircraft with technology to reduce sonic booms. The presentation will take place on Dec. 6 at 10:50 a.m. Eastern U.S. in the Summit B room, as part of the meeting running Dec. 5-9 at the Grand Hyatt Nashville Hotel.

“NASA’s X-59 aircraft is intended to validate and demonstrate the design tools and technologies that make it possible to design an aircraft with a different shape that alters how supersonic shock waves behave,” said Shah. “Instead of coming together to be heard as a loud boom, the shock waves do not merge. They rapidly weaken, resulting in a sound more like a soft thump.”

NASA will conduct a series of flights over various communities across the U.S. Shah and his team will measure the sound of the aircraft and conduct public surveys to understand the public response to different noise levels. By providing this information to regulatory agencies, the group hopes to inform an overland supersonic sound standard.

The first flight will take place in 2023, followed by 18 months of testing to confirm the aircraft’s performance and safety. From 2025 through 2026, NASA intends to conduct a series of four to six community tests at locations across the country, eventually delivering the data to regulators in 2027.

More details can be found on the mission website. NASA has also developed a Quesst Mission Supersonic STEM Toolkit, which includes activities and educational material related to acoustics and flight.

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL22&proof=true

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are 300 to 500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

Shhhh … Speaking More Quietly in Restaurants Means Everyone Can Be Heard #ASA183

In restaurants and at parties, the tendency is to talk louder to get your message across. Unfortunately, it does just the opposite.

Media Contact:
Ashley Piccone
AIP Media
301-209-3090
media@aip.org

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 5, 2022 – In a crowded restaurant, diners usually talk with their companions at their own table. But the sound of their conversations bounces off walls and reflects to other patrons, creating background noise. Each individual speaker wants to be heard over that noise, so they end up talking a little bit louder, which again increases the overall din. Eventually – barring an interruption – the system gets loud enough to reach the limit of the human voice.

A busy restaurant grows louder and louder because of the Lombard effect. Image Catalog via Flickr

Braxton Boren of American University will discuss this cycle, called the Lombard effect, and how it can be disrupted in his presentation, “A game theory model of the Lombard effect in public spaces.” The presentation will take place Dec. 5 at 12:40 p.m. Eastern U.S. in the Summit B room, as part of the 183rd Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America running Dec. 5-9 at the Grand Hyatt Nashville Hotel.

Game theory metaphors, such as the prisoner’s dilemma or the unscrupulous diner’s dilemma, can provide a good model for the Lombard effect. Boren used such mathematical models to construct the payoffs and incentives for the Lombard effect across different sound frequencies of the human voice.

“This effect is an example of the Tragedy of the Commons, which is a term often used in environmental science and economics for the way that individuals are incentivized to misuse public goods,” he said. “In the case of the Lombard effect, the quiet background (which allows for conversations to be intelligibly understood) is the commons, and each speaker in the room is incentivized to take a little bit more of that quiet space for his/her own conversation.”

Technology solutions, like smart earbuds, may eventually be able to individualize conversations by homing in on a single speaker. Understanding the acoustics and altering the absorption of walls in a space could also minimize the Lombard effect.

“Based on our understanding of this phenomenon, it is possible to design rooms that increase or decrease Lombard-related crowd noise in public settings,” said Boren. “But in a loud situation, I encourage people to try talking quietly while everyone else around them is shouting. Then, when that doesn’t work, go home and rest your ears!”

———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
Main meeting website: https://acousticalsociety.org/asa-meetings/
Technical program: https://eppro02.ativ.me/web/planner.php?id=ASAFALL22&proof=true

ASA PRESS ROOM
In the coming weeks, ASA’s Press Room will be updated with newsworthy stories and the press conference schedule at https://acoustics.org/asa-press-room/.

LAY LANGUAGE PAPERS
ASA will also share dozens of lay language papers about topics covered at the conference. Lay language papers are 300 to 500 word summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience. They will be accompanied by photos, audio, and video. Learn more at https://acoustics.org/lay-language-papers/.

PRESS REGISTRATION
ASA will grant free registration to credentialed and professional freelance journalists. If you are a reporter and would like to attend the meeting or virtual press conferences, contact AIP Media Services at media@aip.org. For urgent requests, AIP staff can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips, or background information.

ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is the premier international scientific society in acoustics devoted to the science and technology of sound. Its 7,000 members worldwide represent a broad spectrum of the study of acoustics. ASA publications include The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (the world’s leading journal on acoustics), JASA Express Letters, Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, Acoustics Today magazine, books, and standards on acoustics. The society also holds two major scientific meetings each year. See https://acousticalsociety.org/.

Noise Pollution in Hospitals and its Impacts on the Health Care Community and Patients

Olivia C Coiado – coiado@illinois.edu
Twitter: @oliviacoiado
Instagram: @oliviacoiado

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Erasmo F. Vergara
Laboratory of Vibration and Acoustics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.

Lizandra G. Lupi Vergara
Laboratory of Ergonomics, Department of Production and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.

Popular version of 3pNS4-Noise Pollution in Hospitals and its Impacts on the Health Care Community and Patients, presented at the 183rd ASA Meeting.

If you ever had to be hospitalized in your life, you probably know that spending a night in a hospital room and getting some sleep is almost an impossible mission! Why? Noise in hospitals is a common problem for patients, families and teams of professionals and employees. Most of a hospital’s environment is affected by the sounds of equipment and machines with high sound pressure levels (SPL) or “noise”.
What can we do?

Fig 1: Sound pressure meter positioned in front of the reception desk in Brazil.

We used a sound pressure meter (Fig. 1) to record noise of medical equipment such as machines, medical devices, tools, alarms used in the medical activities in hospitals in Brazil and in the United States. SPLs inside hospitals may have high average values, higher than 60 decibels (dB), with peak SPL values of 100 dB and may not meet the international requirements. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that the average SPL in hospitals should be around 35 dB during the day and 30 dB at night. SPLs above 65 dB can cause behavioral disorders and affect the quality of sleep and cause changes in the physiological responses to stress in hospitalized patients. High noise levels exceeding 55 dB can affect both patients and staff. The noise effects can cause memory lapses and mental exhaustion in performing tasks, exposing technical and support teams to risks, accidents and errors in the performance of their work. For instance, a plane taking off (Fig. 2) can reach up to 100 dB and a noisy hospital environment can reach up to 70 dB, more than double of the noise recommended by the WHO!

Figure 2: Image adapted from Bayo, Garcia and Garcia 1989.

Our research considered both quantitative aspects, through numerical and qualitative descriptors (subjective and psychological assessment of patients, medical staff, employees, etc.), to assess noise pollution in hospitals. Our model analyzed the relationship between the acoustic characteristics of the environment and people’s sound perception.
We interviewed 47 people in a Brazilian Hospital, the responses were collected from nurses, nursing assistants, doctors, and other staff members. 60% of the participants responded that they needed to speak louder and felt discomfort with the noise in the work environment, 57% said they felt discomfort with the noise coming from the medical equipment, 72% of the participants said the work environment is moderately or very noisy. The next phase of our research is to repeat the same measurements in a United Stated Hospital and compare the results. Then we can make a reflection, what can we do to reduce the effects of noise pollution in hospitals? How to reduce the noise coming from medical equipment? Our “dream” is to provide a more comfortable environment for patients and the health community. Hoping they can finally get a good night of sleep in Brazil in the U.S or any other hospital in the world.