At the new youth hangout sport on Zetterij street in Amstelveen, a small town just south of Amsterdam, SensorTeam has built a high-quality sound system with sound sensors. This complete sound system enables the Amstelveen local authority to prevent noise pollution.

Amstelveen is home to eight different youth hangout spots. At one of them, a converted shipping container on Zetterij street [clip has Dutch audio], youngsters have a sound system at their disposal that lets them use a Bluetooth connection to play music off their smartphones or tablets. Audio specialist TSR [page is in Dutch] built the robust and professional sound system at this hangout spot, guaranteeing excellent build and sound quality.

Wireless sound sensors

To prevent local residents and companies being inconvenienced by noise from the hangout spot, SensorTeam has fitted the sound system with its ultra-modern, wireless sound sensors. Combined with the sophisticated cloud platform, these sensors make sure that noise emission standards are not exceeded.

Traffic light

To help youngsters control the volume at their hangout spot, we have hooked a traffic light up to our system. This traffic light has been put up inside the shipping container. With a green light, the sound system is ready for use and the kids can play their music. However, as soon as the volume tops the agreed sound level, the light will turn orange, giving the youngsters 5 minutes to turn down the volume. If they fail to do so, the sound system will automatically be shut down from the cloud platform.

Manual

The online SensorTeam cloud dashboard lets officials from the Amstelveen local authority monitor and operate the entire sound system on their cloud-connected smartphone. Not only can they regulate the volume and set opening hours, they can also set the maximum sound level for each sound sensor. When the music exceeds that level, they can then also adjust the volume manually.

Internet of Things

Wonder how this works? Our sound sensors use an ultra-modern Internet of Things (IoT) platform that we have built specifically for this purpose. By sending monitoring data produced by the sound sensors over a new wireless LoRa network operated by Dutch telecommunications giant KPN, we know exactly how many decibels the youth hangout spot is producing at any time and can take action based on this data. LoRa stands for “long range” and is ideally suited for long-distance data transmission. Our sound sensor does, therefore, not need to be connected to existing network infrastructure via WiFi or 4G. Besides, the sound sensor is fully solar-powered and has a battery to make sure the sensor is operational 24/7. Our IoT sensors do not need the internet or a power source other than the sun, and they can be placed anywhere.

Smart city

Over the coming years, many more such smart IoT applications will hit the market, as more and more cities start to turn into smart cities. These “smart cities” use internet technology and IoT to solve social issues, such as noise pollution, turning to smart technologies to improve quality of life and efficiency in their cities.

Data collected

In a smart city, different systems are interconnected through a network of sensors, the internet, and high-grade technological devices. All kinds of data can, therefore, be collected, which authorities can subsequently use for targeted interventions. One example is the system with sound sensors we have built at the youth hangout spot on Zetterij street in smart city Amstelveen. It is a chill-out spot for youngsters, who can listen to their self-composed beats and music on a high-quality sound system. Within permissible levels. SensorTeam’s IoT sensors will make sure of that.

Want to find out more about our smart IoT sound sensors? Make an appointment, we’ll be happy to give you a demonstration!