Sarah Laurie BMBS
CEO
PO Box 7112
Banyule VIC 3084
AUSTRALIA
sarah@waubrafoundation.org.au
PRESS RELEASE
January 13, 2017
As a result of increasing noise pollution from industry, in particular low-frequency noise and infrasound, and the failure of the current acoustical strategy (based on the anachronistic A-Frequency Weighting) to deal with the issues of public noise complaints, Atkinson & Rapley Consulting Ltd., in collaboration with Astute Engineering and ESP Australia, and collaboration and support from the Waubra Foundation, embarked on the development of an affordable technology that could be purchased by non-specialists, allowing them to record and analyse soundscapes with laboratory-accuracy.
By putting the power of recording and analysing soundscapes within reach of the average consumer, a new methodology has been developed: the Citizen Science Initiative on Acoustic Characterisation of Human Environments (CSI-ACHE), to gather evidence on the impacts of industrial noise on people.
In August 2016, Atkinson & Rapley, launched the first, broad-spectrum, stereo, USB recording interface with custom microphones - Scribe. The system comes complete with broad-spectrum recording software for any Windows-based personal computer.
Capable of recording sound in the frequency range of 0.1 to 20,000 Hz, Scribe constitutes a new era in environmental soundscape monitoring.
After the successful release of the Scribe Mk1 in Australia in 2016, and its subsequent successful field trials in New Zealand, Australia and Europe, an enhanced Mk 2 system was put on the drawing board.
The Scribe Mk 2 is scheduled for public release in February 2017.
The unit will be available as a full-spectrum, environmental sound recording kit including: stereo USB sound card, twin custom microphones, two wind shields, cables, GPS receiver, a notebook computer with acquisition/recording software and a security HASP (dongle).
Pricing has yet to be finalised for the Mk 2, but there will be a standard commercial price for industry users and an academic price, with appropriate discount, for research institutions.
Noise-impacted residents may request a special price and will be encouraged to join the Citizen Science Initiative - CSI, to share their data for scientific research purposes.
Conditions apply - please enquire.
Preorders are now being accepted for February 2017 production. Contact arg@paradise.net.nz for more information. A brochure follows this press release.
Simultaneously capture the indoor and outdoor acoustic environments. Houses can greatly change the sound character, so recording both is essential.
Capture infrasound as well as audible sound to standard sound files. Everything is captured because anything may be important.
Professional quality
SAM Scribe is an industrial-strength recording system that’s ahead of the competition. It will faithfully record sound from 0.1 Hz (infrasound) all the way up to 20 kHz, the upper limit of human hearing. This means that it will capture all of the sound created by any industrial plant and other noise sources, record them as evidence, and allow later analysis.
With the use of a Type 1 sound calibrator, SAM Scribe, with its near-flat response, can capture acoustic environments with industry-standard accuracy.
Scribe can use a variety of Type 1 and Type 2 microphones. (Ask for a quote.)
Capture the GPS position of the recording and the exact time using the precision of the GPS satellite system.
Take continuous recordings for months at a time by adding an external hard drive, or use a USB memory stick for more portable external data storage.
SAM Scribe stores information about the recording as metadata within the sound file, including the GPS location, the GPS- derived time, the sound card details and the software version. A digital signature is then created for the file contents and encrypted by the supplied security hasp.
At any later time, by verifying the digital security signature, you can be assured that the sound data and metadata in the file have not been tampered with. This can be useful in future litigation.
SAM Scribe records sounds with industry- standard accuracy. It produces standard, uncompressed WAV files that can be opened and played by countless programs. Listen to them on headphones and boost the volume or perform your own analysis using free, third-party software to visualise the acoustic environment.
• 11.025, 22.05 and 44.1 kHz sampling rates
Capturing an acoustic environment with laboratory-grade accuracy means that it c a n b e a n a l y s e d l a t e r w i t h o u t compromising on detail or missing acoustic features of the environment. Laboratory- grade recording offers the opportunity for laboratory-grade analysis.
When you purchase SAM Scribe you can join the Citizen Science Initiative on Acoustic Characterisation of Human Environments (CSI-ACHE), gathering evidence on the impacts of industrial noise on people.
Capture your own acoustic environment using SAM Scribe and our professional operating protocol. Upload your sound files to have them analysed by independent experts.
Created by Atkinson & Rapley Consulting Ltd., Palmerston North & Sydney
In association with:
For more information
www.smart-technologies.co.nz
+64 6 355 1079