2015

Kivelä, Ilkka; Hakala, Ismo

Environmental noise levels have created major environmental problems, and millions of people suffer from the effects of exposition to them on a daily basis. Traditionally, noise models are calculated by characterizing several points but in a way that characterizes one point in one time interval. Due to this, the measurement results could be affected by time-dependent parameters like source emissions and weather conditions, leading to a set of single values from different locations at different time periods. Wireless sensor networks can be used to perform environmental monitoring for variously shaped and sized areas in different surroundings. In this paper, we present a wireless noise sensor network for new area-based noise monitoring. The network enables synchronized measurements in several locations in real-time. In this area-based noise monitoring, the network calculates one equivalent noise value for the monitored area. The measurement method's feasibility and reliability is evaluated in a real measuring pilot that involves 12 noise sensor nodes. The experience gained from the utilization and deployment of the network is discussed together with network performance analysis.