NIOSH noise researchers received numerous requests from stakeholders, safety professionals, and the public to address the accuracy of the many sound measurement applications available for smartphones and whether they can be relied upon to provide an accurate assessment of the ambient environment, the agency says. Researchers conducted a pilot study to select and characterize the functionality and accuracy of apps as an "initial step in a broader effort" to determine whether such apps can be relied upon to conduct participatory noise monitoring studies in the workplace, NIOSH says.
