The actual and ideal indoor soundscape for work, relaxation, physical and sexual activity at home: A case study during the COVID-19 lockdown in London

Frontiers in Psychology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 13

Опубликована: Дек. 29, 2022

The period of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic made importance a high-quality surrounding environment even more evident than before. Several studies have been carried out to assess (negative) impacts noise on annoyance, particularly whilst working from (WFH). present study takes step further by (1) investigating positive and negative "actual" acoustic range activities, i.e., WFH, relaxation, physical, sexual (2) identifying characteristics an "ideal" indoor soundscape. is based qualitative analysis verbal descriptions collected open-ended questions included in survey administered January 2021 464 respondents living London, lockdown. actual scenario varied no effect task execution, disruption, distraction, concern disturbing others or being heard. Positive support concentration, motivation, freedom sound expression, feeling connected surroundings comforted presence others, according mechanisms described study. Negative appraisal could trigger coping strategies (e.g., controlling windows, playing music, wearing headphones) behavioural changes lowering volume voice muting oneself call, changing workout type) that turn limit enhance behaviour, affect foster wellbeing. were most frequently reported WFH (by 55% participants), followed relaxation activities (40.6%), (30.1%), (20.1%). ideal soundscape was as quiet, well-sound insulated environment, which guarantees access sounds (i.e., natural sounds, urban background), thus resulting privacy, intimacy, place where express themselves without noise-related constraints. complements literature findings housing design directions light pandemic, providing evidence poor insulation at home, potential benefits nature-based solutions for soundscapes, opportunities activity-based domestic environments, inclusive broader set uses household compositions.

Язык: Английский

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Agent-specific, activity-based noise impact assessment using noise exposure cost

Sustainable Cities and Society, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 103, С. 105278 - 105278

Опубликована: Фев. 17, 2024

This study introduces an agent-specific assessment method of traffic noise exposure in agent mobility simulations. The is achieved through a combination energy-based impact using cost, and the state-of-the-art prediction tool NoiseModelling coupled with activity-based simulation software MATSim. cost measure to evaluate how emissions from transport agents relate noise-related on other performing stationary activities. By introducing level, each agent's individual responsibility for may be estimated. potential concept, combined MATSim-NoiseModelling framework, illustrated case study, applying simulations across Nantes, France. results highlight, among considerations, insights that agent-specific, approach provides by visualizing "footprint" resulting transportation

Язык: Английский

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Short-time acoustic indices for monitoring urban-natural environments using artificial neural networks

Ecological Indicators, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 160, С. 111775 - 111775

Опубликована: Фев. 28, 2024

Urban-natural environments, proximal to rapidly urbanizing cities, provide essential ecosystem functions that benefit both city residents and ecological communities. With escalating urbanization, the resilience of these ecosystems is being progressively challenged, highlighting need for robust monitoring mechanisms. Acoustic has emerged as an unobtrusive method evaluate status capitalizing on indicators reflect landscape features specific acoustic events. Despite potentially offering significant insights, this approach generates a large volume data, introducing complexities in subsequent analyses. To mitigate this, we propose integrating artificial neural networks with indices enhance data analysis. Our emphasizes usefulness short-time indices, computed over finite-duration analysis windows, polyphonic sound event detection accuracy. Empirical results support performance our approach, registering F1-Score error rate 0.614. Overall, study delineates novel paradigm geared towards enhancing or preserving biological diversity urban-natural environments areas population growth urban development.

Язык: Английский

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Sons al Balcó: A Comparative Analysis of WASN-Based LAeq Measured Values with Perceptual Questionnaires in Barcelona during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Sensors, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 24(5), С. 1650 - 1650

Опубликована: Март 3, 2024

The mobility and activity restrictions imposed in Spain due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant improvement urban noise pollution that could be objectively measured those cities with acoustic sensor networks deployed. This change soundscapes was also perceived by citizens who positively appraised this new scenario. In work, authors present comparative analysis between different indices provided 70 sound sensors deployed Barcelona, both during before lockdown, results of perceptual test conducted framework project Sons al Balcó which received more than one hundred contributions Barcelona alone. has been performed clustering objective subjective data according predominant sources location differentiating road traffic heavy, moderate low-traffic areas. study brings out strong alignments decline indices, satisfaction changes sources, supporting idea calibrated can useful make qualitative approximation perception when further information is not available.

Язык: Английский

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A dataset of acoustic measurements from soundscapes collected worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic

Scientific Data, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 11(1)

Опубликована: Авг. 27, 2024

Political responses to the COVID-19 pandemic led changes in city soundscapes around globe. From March October 2020, a consortium of 261 contributors from 35 countries brought together by Silent Cities project built unique soundscape recordings collection report on local acoustic urban areas. We present this here, along with metadata including observational descriptions areas contributors, open-source environmental data, confinement levels and calculation descriptors. performed technical validation dataset using statistical models run subset manually annotated soundscapes. Results confirmed large-scale usability ecoacoustic indices automatic sound event recognition collection. expect be useful for research multidisciplinary field sciences.

Язык: Английский

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Montreal soundscapes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A spatial analysis of noise complaints and residents’ surveys

Noise Mapping, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 10(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2023

Abstract Public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic provided researchers with a quasi-experimental situation to examine what happens when anthropogenic noise sources ( e.g. , traffic) are greatly reduced. This article combines noise-related calls Montreal’s 311 service (29,891 from 2014 2022) original survey data 240 residents collected in 2020 after lockdown and summer reopening. The spatial analysis of revealed that, across all phases, complaints increased population density, proportion low-income residents, greenspace. However, change distribution due is positively associated proportions residential greenspace land use. That is, areas higher use experienced greatest increase calls. that sounds traffic construction decreased both subsequent reopening, while neighborhood nature increased. downtown core also allowed for emergence heating, ventilation air conditioning systems area. We discuss these results considering interest reducing levels cities.

Язык: Английский

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Noise complaints, the COVID-19 pandemic, and compact developments: evidence from five American cities

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 30(14), С. 40724 - 40736

Опубликована: Янв. 9, 2023

Язык: Английский

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Noise Perception and Health Effects on Population: A Cross-Sectional Study on COVID-19 Lockdown by Noise Sources for Spanish Dwellings

Buildings, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 13(9), С. 2224 - 2224

Опубликована: Авг. 31, 2023

An online questionnaire on the subjective response to noise was created collect national experiences from households during first COVID-19 wave (from 14 March 21 June). In this study, different sources (general noise, but also neighbors, common areas, facilities, premises, and traffic) self-declared health effects (stress, lack of concentration, sleep disturbance, anxiety, irritability, or their absence) reported 582 participants were analyzed (before quarantine). A descriptive statistical analysis between variables established observe relational trends for two periods. The results associated stress disturbance with most before pandemic. Sleep not significant in confinement, maybe due habit changes staying home. Uncertainty linked pandemic could explain why showed significance quarantine. Irritability an inverse relation since values greater declared more annoying all cases. Finally, anxiety association fewer sources, conditioned by other factors. However, extreme situation uncertainty generated, presence cohabitants at home, building factors (such as acoustic insulation) households’ experience.

Язык: Английский

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A renewed perception of living environments after restrictions due to pandemic in Italy

Noise Mapping, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 9(1), С. 189 - 203

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2022

Abstract The rapid habitual changes induced by the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic first and end most restrictive phase coinciding with lock-down later resulted in significant changes, also occurred at an environmental level and, specifically, regard to perception soundscape all European countries. seek for knowledge underlying research illustrated this article concerned whether or not following almost normal resumption daily activities had returned that period before restrictions came into force. This illustrates how online questionnaire structured 16 questions was designed administered a sample Italian citizens, order understand habits respondents changed three reference time periods (before spread, marked other early 2020 afterwards) their perceived place where they spend days. A total around 70 questionnaires distributed throughout Italy were collected analysed. results obtained, through use descriptive statistical analyses logistic models, are presented article.

Язык: Английский

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Introduction to the Special Issue on COVID-19

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 153(1), С. 573 - 575

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global event affecting all aspects of human life and society, including acoustic aspects. In this Special Issue on acoustics, we present 48 papers discussing the acoustical impacts how deal with it. are divided into seven categories which include: physical masking speech production, perception, noise, underwater soundscape, urban pathogen transmissibility, medical diagnosis.

Язык: Английский

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