You can see the video of our conversation at: Acoustic Camera Video
Acoustic Camera
The acoustic camera that we use consists of 256 microphones with a camera in the middle. The array of microphones is used to identify the differences in noise levels and is overlaid on the photo of video from the camera.
The acoustic camera is operated by plugging it in or using a battery. The battery allows the system to be portable which is useful outdoors and when evaluate a large facility.
The camera presents the contours for a specific frequency of for any range of frequencies. You can look at the contours from 100 to 20,000 Hz, for a specific range, or individual frequency.
The camera provides the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) or frequency spectrum of the measured noise. This allows you to see the sound level for the individual frequencies. This can help with noise source identification. If you know the frequency of the noise of concern, you can look at rotation frequencies and blade pass frequencies to help with identifying the noise.
The camera can show the 1/3 octave band noise levels and the octave band levels. Third and full octave data gives you noise levels in frequency bands. Using 1/3 and full octave data may be easier to use when compare with changes that are made because there are less numbers being compared. 1/3 octave and full octave are often used in noise regulations.
The frequency of the noise is useful to know when determining treatments. Products generally present sound transmission and acoustical absorption in octave bands. Knowing the frequencies that need to be treated help determine the thickness of acoustical absorption (thicker for lower frequencies) and the mass for sound isolation (more mass for lower frequencies).
The A-weighted noise levels can be displayed. This presents the levels as perceived by the human ear. It reduces the influence of low frequencies and very high frequencies to match how humans perceive noise.
The scale between contours can be adjusted to show where a large amount of noise is coming from and/or target where the loudest source(s) are.
The acoustic camera allows you the ability to block a noise source. This lets you determine how much noise is coming from secondary and tertiary sources. You can find out what the sources are and how much noise is coming from the.
For the camera to perform property, you need enter the distance to the noise sources and the temperature of the air.
The acoustic camera program allows you to show the spectrogram in the form of a waterfall plot which is a series of spectrum changing with time. It shows the spectrum staggered and changing with time.
The acoustic camera is very versatile and can make evaluating a space a quicker process. We have used the acoustic camera for factory (worker) noise, sound isolation projects, product noise, and environmental industrial noise.
Please contact us if you would like us to use the acoustic camera on a project for you.
