Taiwan researchers develop urban noise tracking system

台灣研究團隊開發出城市噪音監測系統

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taiwanese research team has developed a scalable approach to real-time environmental noise monitoring.

Conventional noise monitoring relies on fixed instruments that are expensive and limited in coverage, making it difficult to capture conditions across different neighborhoods and environments. Even with long-term measurements, it is often difficult to form a complete view of noise distribution, according to CNA.

To address this, research teams from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, National Tsing Hua University, and Academia Sinica developed a noise-sensing module. The devices collect sound data, which is processed using cloud computing services provided by Chunghwa Telecom.

AI analysis then generates noise heat maps that identify noise hotspots and support environmental management. The sensors can be deployed along roadsides, in residential areas, or on school campuses, allowing for broader spatial coverage of environmental noise.

Field tests were conducted in Sanzhi and Linkou in New Taipei City, as well as Guishan and Luzhu in Taoyuan. The system’s accuracy was found to be close to standard measurement methods used by Taiwan’s environmental authorities.

Pan Wen-chi (潘文驥), director of the Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, said noise pollution is linked to sleep disturbance, mental health issues, reduced learning performance in children, and cardiovascular risks. He added that the system enables long-term tracking of environmental noise patterns, supporting environmental management and health research.

Noise generally refers to unwanted or disturbing sound. In regulatory contexts, it is defined as sound that exceeds limits set under noise control regulations, according to Smart Daily.