Sound environment monitoring system in NICU/PICU

This research project delves into the exploration of the sound environment within Intensive Care Units (ICUs), particularly focusing on Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). It aims to enhance the understanding of sound events and their impact on both nurses' decision-making and patients' sleep behaviors....

Music·Wave: Companion Product for Orthopedic Surgery Patients with AI -Generated Music

Orthopedic surgeries are identified as one of the most noisy surgeries inside the OR (operation room). The highest noise sound level could reach up to around 130 dB, which is harmful to patients’ well-being and are likely to evoke negative feelings during surgery. In the previous study investigating the emotional experience of patients who...

Improving the quality of the acoustic environment in neonatal intensive care units: a review of scientific literature and technological solutions

There is an increased awareness of how the quality of the acoustic environment impacts the lives of human beings. Several studies have shown that sound pollution has adverse effects on many populations, from infants to adults, in different environments and workplaces. Hospitals are susceptible environments that require special attention since...

Inward: The silence is within

The inner city of Rotterdam is very dense and contains all kinds of activities and people. It is an area every citizen uses and whereby different purposes and behaviors occur. This makes it an area full of life, but also a fragile place looking<br/>at the future and its liveability. As a result, residents who live or work in this area spend a...

The Modular Soundscape: Sound as an architectural domain

Noise pollution is a contemporary problem that developed through urbanisation and industrialization. The consequences of this issue directly influence the health of human beings, as their perception of noise leads to certain behavioural responses. By addressing this issue in a strategic way, residential housing can still be created in noise...

A bird's-eye view on infrasound: High-resolution methods to unravel the ambient microbarom wavefield

Comparison on the Soundscapes of Italian Renaissance Gardens and Ming Dynasty's Chinese Classical Gardens

The thesis aims to compare the soundscapes of Italian Renaissance gardens and Ming dynasty’s Chinese classical gardens and figure out the reasons behind their similarities and differences through historical research on Italy and China. The research methods are case study, image analysis and literature analysis (secondary and primary). The thesis...

Sounds that satisfy:: Describing the relationship between sound and need fulfilment

Psychological needs of users as a basis for design are at the core of design practice, yet the importance of fundamental human needs when designing soundscapes has not been studied specifically. This paper investigates the relationship between nine fundamental human needs and the affective qualities and categories of soundscapes. In a free...

Effects of Façades on Urban Acoustic Environment and Soundscape: A Systematic Review

Façades cover a significant amount of surfaces in cities and are in constant interaction with the acoustic environment. Noise pollution is one of the most concerning burdens for public health and wellbeing; however, façade acoustic performance is generally not considered in outdoor spaces, in contrast to indoor spaces. This study presents a...

Towards a quieter neonatal intensive care unit: evaluating and visualizing soundscapes to raise awareness on sound-producing events

A soundscape is the acoustic environment that is constantly surrounding us. Soundscapes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) might adversely affect neonates, their families, and healthcare providers. In this unit, the number of alarms and nuisance is very high, and studies show that it negatively affects both the well-being of patients and...

Doplor Sleep: Friendly feedback towards a better hospital soundscape for sleep

Recently in the Netherlands, researchers have found that sleep duration and quality were suboptimal in the hospital. Evidence proved that many modifiable hospitalrelated factors negatively associate with patients' sleep (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2018). The sound factor is the most significant sleep disturbance in the hospital. In this graduation...

Make Some Noise Schiphol: A study on a parametric architectural strategy for the design of aircraft noise abatement landscape elements within cities

This research focuses on aircraft noise exposed urban spaces around Amsterdam Schiphol airport. In particular, a case site in Rijsenhout is studied, where a representation of the noise wave propagation due to refraction is performed. Subsequently, a series of landscape configurations regarding geometry are gradually tested through acoustic...

Urban Amplifiers

This graduation project explores the act of listening to “noise”, to develop a new critical attitude to understanding sounds of the contemporary city. The essential aim is to create ears which separate, abstract and re-organize the myriad of sounds of the environment, which often ends up in a cacophony. The sounds of the surroundings are...

Better sleep experience for the critically ill: A comprehensive strategy for designing hospital soundscapes

In this paper, the sleep phenomenon is considered in relation to critical care soundscapes with the intention to inform hospital management, medical device producers and policy makers regarding the complexity of the issue and possible modes of design interventions. We propose a comprehensive strategy based on soundscape design approach that...

Updated urban facade design for quieter outdoor spaces

The increasing migration into cities leads to an increasing number of people stressed by noise. More and more people are moving into urban settings comprised of multiple noise sources and hard reflective glass and steel facades. The omnidirectional arrangement of noise sources like airborne noise or car traffic noise and their reflection on...

Soundscape, privacy, communication, and orientation

Workshop 3. Session 3.1: Privacy and public life Abstract: The auditive element is often neglected, in descriptions of environments. If sound is addressed at all, only the aspect of noisiness is considered. “Soundscapes” can offer a different view. This notion is used in several ways, many of them too limited in scope. Also because a large...