Noise radar

We developed Noise Radar to provide a multi-parameter solution for road traffic noise emissions. It aims to:

• Educate drivers/riders & raise awareness

• Change driver/rider behaviour

• Identify offenders 

• Implement automatic fining capabilities 

• Communicate & report to communities

As drivers on city streets and country highways, we are all too well aware of the existence of fixed or portable speed cameras that monitor our speed, take photographs of licence plates and send that data on to law enforcement for issuing infringement notices. But the policing of noise violations has never been practical, nor enforceable. 

Acoem’s Noise Radar technology puts control of the road soundscape back into the community’s hands, raising awareness of the importance of minimising traffic noise and penalising those who deliberately or inadvertently exceed acceptable noise limits. 

The system consists of:

• A smart ATD acoustic sensor which can be easily mounted roadside on a pole or other fixture

• A remote digital display billboard or sign that displays a warning message to drivers via radio frequency transmission

• Smart vehicle detection technology and still/video cameras that take instant images of the offending vehicle

The algorithm that provides the sensor’s in-built intelligence:

• Is only triggered by a vehicle once a threshold is exceeded

• Removes other nearby sound sources

• Creates a reliable localisation of the predominant sound source that follows a predefined track

• Operates at a distance of 3 to 10 metres

• Archives each noise event detected 

Easy to install, the sensor possesses an integrated bracket; robust IP66 design, factory calibrations with no settings required; unattended control 24×7; and only weights 1.2kg. It is also simple to move.

The electronic billboard or remote display is erected 10 to 50 metres away from the sensor depending on the road’s average speed.

Its purpose is to provided drivers with awareness of their vehicle’s noise status with data transmitted from the sensor via radio frequency.

Easy to install with an integrated bracket and an optional solar panel, the display is 100% autonomous with no maintenance required. It can display information in text format or by image — for example a neutral, smiley, sad or angry face.

While awareness and trying to instil behavioural changes may be your main motivations for introducing the Noise Radar system, it can also function as a monetary deterrent for noise polluters by automating a penalty issuing process.

This option would include:

• A class 1 Cube sound level meter & external microphone DMK01

• ATD-300 source localisation pod) & a weather station to certify noise exceedances

• 2 x video cameras, one for the vehicle tracking & the other for licence plate reading

• A local server to calculate everything inside the radar solution (to comply with police department or regulatory authority regulations & create a back-up of data for legal purposes)

• An integrated 4G/5G modem to transmit necessary images to authorities

• 230/110V power supply (integrated circuit breaker & lightning protection) 

  • A mountable IP66 / IK10 container/box for attachment to a pole.

With these additional parameters, the solution could operate under wide temperature conditions from -40° C to +70° C. It would be larger (1400 x 900 x 600 mm with all equipment) and would weigh < 35 kg (or 10 kg less without a UPS battery.