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NoiseSpotter®

Gather the data you need to characterize environmental risk from underwater noise.

NoiseSpotter® (U.S. patent 11,156,734) is the first state-of-the-art commercial vector sensor array that measures and locates underwater sound sources in near real time. NoiseSpotter® provides measurements of acoustic pressure and particle motion from underwater sounds, including marine mammal activity. Now regulators, stakeholders, and developers can detect, identify, distinguish, localize, and monitor underwater sounds (including locating sound sources) to learn more about the environmental acoustic effects of activities beneath the sea—from underwater construction to installation of offshore and marine renewable energy devices.

About NoiseSpotter®

Operational since 2018. Developed by Integral Consulting Inc. in collaboration with H.T. Harvey & Associates, Noise Control Engineering, Proteus Technologies, and Sandia National Laboratories. NoiseSpotter’s® 3-dimensional (3D) acoustic vector sensor array measures pressure and particle motion at each sensor location. Time synchronized data logging allows for coherent processing such as beamforming to accurately obtain the location of a source of sound. NoiseSpotter® also provides real-time telemetry of key data metrics such as sound pressure levels and sound spectra to a cloud-based server to support monitoring requirements and mitigation measures, and to facilitate further processing such as source localization.

Features

  • Robust Sound Pressure/Particle Motion Data
  • Flow Noise Suppression
  • Source Localization
  • Real-Time Characterization/Reporting
  • Directional Soundscape Characterization

Why NoiseSpotter®

Traditional acoustic sensing techniques involve the use of hydrophones that measure scalar acoustic pressure which provides no information about the direction or source of a sound. The NoiseSpotter® utilizes vector sensors which measure both acoustic pressure and 3D acoustic particle velocity. The vector measurement of particle velocity inherently provides directional information (acoustic bearing) to a source of sound.
Additionally, many marine animals such as fishes and sea turtles experience sound through its particle velocity component rather than acoustic pressure. NoiseSpotter® measurements, therefore, help to understand the effects of anthropogenic sound on fish behavior.

Use Cases

  • Regulatory
    • Environmental Impact Statements
    • Real time reporting to support mitigation measures
    • Monitoring for illegal fishing activity
  • Scientific research
    • Estimating and tracking marine mammal distribution and density
    • Acoustic propagation model validation
    • Particle motion effects on fishes and invertebrates
  • Soundscape characterization
    • Biophony (e.g., fish choruses, marine mammal vocalizations)
    • Geophony (e.g., seismic and volcanic activity)
    • Anthrophony (e.g., shipping, pile driving)

 

Specifications
Frequency range 50 Hz to 3 kHz
Acoustic fields Pressure
3D particle motion
Number of sensors 3
Vertical spacing Customizable
Typically 25 cm, 50 cm, and 75 cm above seabed
Horizontal spacing Customizable
Typically 1.25 m
Sampling rate Up to 25 kHz
Typically 10 kHz
Operating duration 3 weeks continuous recording at 10KHz
Telemetry options Customizable
Currently sound pressure levels and 10 s spectra every minute
Depth rating 200 m
Intended applications Soundscape characterization, marine mammal monitoring, particle motion measurements, source localization and tracking

 

NoiseSpotter acoustic monitoring frame with hydrophones mounted on vessel deck ready for deployment.

Knowledge Share

Project

CalWave, San Diego

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Project

National Science Foundation

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Project

Office of Naval Research—Vandenberg Space Force Base and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

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See All

Particle velocity is our jam.

Kaustubha Raghukumar, Ph.D. Senior Consultant

NoiseSpotter® is available for lease for a daily fee. We provide insurance at no extra cost. The system can be shipped anywhere around the globe. The system is available for lease for a daily fee. We provide insurance at no extra cost. For more information, contact Kaus Raghukumar, Ph.D., at  kraghukumar@integral-corp.com or (831) 576 2876.

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