Sound and noise play a significant role in our everyday experiences, influencing our well-being, cognitive functioning, and overall quality of life. In the bustling environment of New York City, where citizens are often exposed to intrusive sounds from construction sites, police sirens, or noisy neighbors, the impacts of noise on health and cognitive performance become particularly evident. Research has highlighted that extreme noise levels can have detrimental effects on our health
. On the other hand, it is common for people to seek out ‘background’ noise as a means to aid concentration, such as working in a busy coffee shop, thereby illustrating the complex relationship between noise and cognitive functioning
. Based on existing research of the negative impacts of noise in NYC, as well as the positive cognitive benefits of ambient sound: How do we regulate NYC noise through an emergent system to ultimately promote wellbeing?
Noise levels can have significant effects on health. The frequency of sound is a key factor in how it is perceived, with maximum sensitivity occurring between 500 and 5000 Hz. High-intensity noise can cause temporary or permanent threshold shifts in hearing, with the ear being most vulnerable in the region of 2,400-4,800 Hz. Furthermore, exposure to noise in urban environments, which often comes from transportation systems and industrial or commercial activities, can result in long-term health implications . Additionally, an individual's subjective response to noise is influenced by various factors such as the sound's frequency, exposure time, and individual differences. Exposure time is crucial, as the risk of hearing damage might occur even from very short sound exposures if the integration time in the ear is less than two milliseconds. Individual differences also play a role in how noise is perceived: i.e. people with hearing impairments often find noise more annoying due to their distorted perception of sound.
Noise can also have behavioral effects. It can deteriorate the performance of tasks involving auditory cues and disrupt ongoing activities: Changes in the environment, including noise, can be particularly problematic when the noise is variable and meaningful, such as irrelevant speech. While noise can raise arousal levels, continuous or repetitive noise might sometimes make people feel sleepy
. Moreover, noise can also impact cognitive performance. While noise is often thought to be detrimental to cognitive performance, the study "Positive Effects of Noise on Cognitive Performance" suggests that under specific circumstances, noise can be beneficial, particularly for individuals with attention problems such as ADHD. However, these effects may not be generalizable to the entire population
.
The multifaceted nature of urban noise extends beyond its commonly perceived drawbacks. Studies by Ravi Mehta, Rui Zhul, and Amar Cheema reveal that moderate background noise, approximately 70 decibels, can enhance human creativity, fostering innovative thinking in workspaces and classrooms
. This underscores the significant role of our environment in influencing cognitive processes . Additionally, urban noise, when thoughtfully curated, contributes to the vibrancy and dynamism of city life. It serves as a cultural backdrop, reflecting the energy of urban activities in places like São Paulo . The intentional use of noise to convey messages or shape urban developments fosters a sense of connection among people, creating unique identities for urban locations. While recognizing these positive aspects, it is essential to delve into the negative impacts of noise, acknowledging its potential health implications and societal consequences.
Noise is not merely an annoyance; it can significantly affect our health and is increasingly recognized as a problem.Its consequences extend beyond harming our ears and are linked to causing annoyance, disrupting sleep, and impairing cognitive abilities. A study on the "Effect of Traffic Noise on Pedestrian Walking Speed" reveals that exposure to noisy urban environments prompts people to walk faster, leading to a more hectic lifestyle with detrimental effects on health and well-being . Those exposed to traffic noise during their walk reported less enjoyment and increased annoyance, highlighting how noise can negatively influence perceptions of one's surroundings. Consequently, noise pollution in cities not only affects health but also contributes to busier and less pleasant lives.
City noise pollution brings about various adverse consequences for individuals and society. The continual escalation of noise levels due to urbanization, stemming from vehicles, construction sites, and entertainment venues, is linked to detrimental health effects, including hearing loss, fatigue, anxiety, and stress . Noise pollution disrupts social interactions, making it challenging to engage in conversations and leading to feelings of isolation. Sleep disturbance, cognitive performance impairment, and an increased risk of heart diseases and strokes are also associated with exposure to city noise. According to "NYC health," loud noise can lead to permanent hearing loss, resulting in social isolation, depression, and cognitive decline . In young children, noise exposure can impair academic performance by affecting reading comprehension, concentration, memory, and attention span. Even when noise levels do not cause hearing loss, community noise can lead to stress, higher blood pressure, muscle tension, ulcers, fatigue, and sleep problems with long-term exposure.
In New York City, noise regulation is overseen by the NYC Noise Code, with enforcement conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the New York City Police Department who ensure that noise levels adhere to established regulations. Residents are encouraged to address noise issues by engaging with neighbors or nearby businesses. If noise concerns persist, individuals can submit a noise complaint online. Additionally, efforts are made to educate the public about noise dangers, particularly for children, emphasizing the importance of limiting exposure to loud environments. Personal measures such as using earplugs, reducing volume levels when listening to music or using headphones, and employing insulation strategies, such as window curtains are recommended.
The SONYC (Sounds Of New York City) project exemplifies an Internet of Things (IoT) intervention designed to tackle urban noise pollution. Deploying over 55 low-cost acoustic sensor nodes across the city, SONYC enables continuous real-time monitoring of urban noise . These nodes furnish source-specific data, support large-scale analysis, and facilitate predictive noise impact models. In contrast to traditional approaches, particularly the widely used 311 civil complaint service, SONYC's IoT-driven system stands out. SONYC 's sensors provide continuous, high-resolution, and prolonged noise monitoring, a departure from the sporadic, crowd-sourced nature of the 311 service. SONYC 's nodes collect sound pressure level data, encrypted audio snippets, and node status data, offering a comprehensive understanding of urban noise conditions. This continuous monitoring enhances the temporal resolution of noise data while also ensuring objective information collection, extending to under-served neighborhoods. In comparison, traditional long-term noise monitoring is infrequently conducted due to cost and the need for specialists. Thus, SONYC's IoT-based system surpasses traditional methods, presenting a more data-driven, cost-effective, and inclusive approach to noise regulation.
Systems already in place, such as SONYC, ACOEM, and Nonoise.org, all share the common strength of being able to accurately record real time data of noise levels. However, taking these systems into consideration, they still have a ways to go in order to fully mitigate noise pollution. For all these systems, it seems that they still look to NYC’s Department of Environmental Protection to handle the situation past the point of information gathering. Whilst this remedies the issue to a certain extent, the turnaround time can be slow, short-lasting and overall unhelpful a majority of the time . Considering the powerful IoT systems already in place that collect real time data about noise in NYC, there should be a solution that parallels this constant influx of useful data. The systems currently in place are regulatory rather than emergent: they rely on giving the data they collect to the government, rather than to the community at large.
In Donella Meadows’ list of ‘Places To Intervene In A System,’ intervention number six is: “The structure of information flows (who does and does not have access to information).” Meadows states: “It’s not a parameter adjustment, not a strengthening or weakening of an existing loop. It’s a NEW LOOP, delivering feedback to a place where it wasn’t going before.” While the data that these organizations collect is oftentimes considered ‘open data’, the data is generally only open to those who know where to look, how to read it and how to understand it, and have the time to do so. Ultimately meaning: this data is not accessible to the majority of people who have a great probability of being mentally or physically affected by this issue.
Based on our research, we propose that the data collected by organizations such as SONYC, ACOEM, and NYC 311 Service Requests should become readily accessible to the average citizen. This means collecting the information from the various open-data sources, displaying it on a user-friendly platform, cleaning the data, and organizing it so that the user can see the information that is most relevant to them. In this instance, that means 311 service requests submitted nearby them and audio data from the sensors closest to them. It should be noted that this path has the potential to increase security issues; However, all the data that’d be included on this platform is technically already available to the public with safety measures already implemented to ensure data anonymity. This platform’s main functionality is to merely lower the barrier-of-entry to data that is already open to the public.
With this newly accessible information, citizens would be able to monitor the noise in your area as well as possibly monitoring one’s own noise creation as well. The article, “The Future of Smart Cities with AI and Smart Noise Management Systems” speculates that by using IoT technology and AI, individuals can be directly notified of noise disturbances. In the case of an individual, when they file a noise complaint, they would immediately see if others in their area have filed a noise complaint: creating the opportunity of community problem solving.. In the case of an organization/company, such as a construction site, “the [AI] system can alert the contractor and suggest ways to reduce the noise.” Overall, giving citizens the ability to access this information easily can help raise awareness of harmful noise levels around them and empower them with knowledge. Accessible, real-time data is the first step towards equipped citizens to have more control over their environment – and subsequently, their own well being.
The complex relationship between sound and noise in our everyday lives, particularly in urban environments such as New York City, requires a multifaceted approach to regulation and management. While noise can have detrimental effects on our health, cognitive performance, and overall well-being, it can also, paradoxically, aid concentration and boost creativity in certain circumstances. The challenge, therefore, is to find a balance that minimizes the negative impacts of noise while harnessing its potential benefits. By empowering individuals with real-time information about noise levels in their area, we can create a more transparent and inclusive system that enables citizens to take control of their environment. Furthermore, the potential use of AI and smart noise management systems can enhance this approach by providing personalized notifications and suggestions for addressing noise disturbances. Ultimately, by combining emergent design solutions and cutting-edge technology, we can create a harmonious and healthy urban environment.
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