Are Smartwatches a Suitable Tool to Monitor Noise Exposure for Public Health Awareness and Otoprotection?

Abstract

Introduction and ObjectivesNoise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus are common problems that can be prevented with hearing protection measures. Sound level meters and noise dosimeters enable to monitor and identify health-threatening occupational or recreational noise, but are limited in their daily application because they are usually difficult to operate, bulky, and expensive. Smartwatches, which are becoming increasingly available and popular, could be a valuable alternative to professional systems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of smartwatches for accurate environmental noise monitoring.MethodsThe A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq) was recorded and compared between a professional sound level meter and a popular smartwatch. Noise exposure was assessed in 13 occupational and recreational settings, covering a large range of sound pressure levels between 35 and 110 dBA. To assess measurement agreement, a Bland-Altman plot, linear regression, the intra-class correlation coefficient, and descriptive statistics were used.ResultsOverall, the smartwatch underestimated the sound level meter measurements by 0.5 dBA (95% confidence interval [0.2, 0.8]). The intra-class correlation coefficient showed excellent agreement between the two devices (ICC = 0.99), ranging from 0.65 (music club) to 0.99 (concert) across settings. The smartwatch's sampling rate decreased significantly with lower sound pressure levels, which could have introduced measurement inaccuracies in dynamic acoustic environments.ConclusionsThe assessment of ambient noise with the tested smartwatch is sufficiently accurate and reliable to improve awareness of hazardous noise levels in the personal environment and to conduct exploratory clinical research. For professional and legally binding measurements, we recommend specialized sound level meters or noise dosimeters. In the future, smartwatches will play an important role in monitoring personal noise exposure and will provide a widely available and cost-effective measure for otoprotection.

Comparison of Occupational Noise Exposure Assessment Methods: A Systematic Review

“…Friesen et al (2008) and Neitzel et al (2011) did not mention the calibration status of dosimeters used in their studies. Five studies specified the exact placement of dosimeter microphones on workers (Virji et al 2009; Neitzel et al 2011; Zhang et al 2015; Tao et al 2016; Fischer et al 2022). Microphones with windscreens were placed on the workers’ chests, collars, or shoulder on the side of their dominant hand, and on the dominant hand (Virji et al 2009; Neitzel et al 2011; Zhang et al 2015; Tao et al 2016).…”

“…Ahmed et al (2004) reported accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the questionnaire method. Two studies reported the correlation coefficient of alternative methods to the dosimeter (Li et al 2011; Fischer et al 2022). All studies reported the absolute dB LAeq,8h measurements obtained from dosimeter compared with an alternative noise-measurement method to indicate bias or deviations.…”

“…Smartwatch • Apple watch series 6 smartwatch device (Apple Inc., Cupertino, California) running iOS version 8.1 was worn on the left wrist of the participant. The smartwatch was paired with a hand-held SLM with a free-field microphone (Fischer et al 2022). Noise measurements from the smartwatch were recorded on the Noise app (Apple Inc.).…”

“…The impact of wear effects on measurement accuracy of personal smart devices, used daily for other purposes, should be investigated. Fischer et al (2022) assessed the performance of Apple watch series 6 smartwatches and concluded that they were sufficiently accurate and precise. Smartwatches, with a small bias 0.5 dB, ranked among the best noise assessment methods, alongside task-based noise dosimetry and hybrid methods which had negligible bias of 0.16 dB and 0.1 dB, respectively (Neitzel et al 2011;Tao et al 2016;Fischer et al 2022).…”

Modifiable Indoor Environmental Factors: Impact on Human Health and Digital Monitoring.

“…Также рассматривается возможность внедрения шумомеров в смарт-часы. Их использование показывает достаточно высокую точность измерения в сочетании с простотой использования [94].…”