UWTSD Applied Computing Blog

Name: James Frew

Course: BSc (Hons) Software Engineering

Project Title: An affordable device for monitoring noise levels in home studio environments to warn users of duration-based hearing damage.

Purpose: As a drummer and someone who regularly practises in home studio environments, I quickly became aware of how easily you can be exposed to loud sounds for long periods. Many people only think about hearing damage in terms of volume, but in fact, long durations of noises that aren’t excessively loud can be just as dangerous. I wanted to build a simple and affordable device that could help raise awareness of this overlooked danger and help people protect their hearing.

Implementation: The system consists of a small microphone and microcontroller, both housed in a compact 3D-printed case. The device connects to a desktop application built in Python. It monitors the noise in the room in real time, calculates how long it’s safe to be in that environment based on the current sound levels, and sends a warning when the average noise levels since starting the application reach a point where it becomes dangerous to continue listening.

The GUI displays current noise levels, the average levels since starting, the time remaining before risk becomes high, and how long the app has been running. The system was built for under £20 and was tested with real users, receiving very positive feedback for its usability and clarity.

Conclusion:
The final product was a reliable, accurate tool that helped users understand their sound environment better. It successfully raised awareness of long-term hearing risks and provided clear, real-time feedback. The project met all its core goals and achieved an excellent System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 89.5. It also received valuable suggestions from users, which could shape future improvements, such as wearable versions and mobile app integration.

Next steps: I’m hoping to move into a role that allows me to work with people and ideally in music or creative environments. I’m particularly interested in opportunities that combine practical problem-solving with collaboration. My degree in Software Engineering has given me a strong foundation in project planning, technical thinking, and building things that work in the real world – skills that will be useful in many industries, not just computing.

Advice for students: Your time and energy are limited, so it’s important to prioritise your studies and project work, especially in your final year. Balancing other commitments is part of life, but giving focused attention to your degree when it counts will really pay off. Also, don’t be afraid to use the tools available to you – make use of AI, but without breaching academic standards. Do use it to help guide research and explore ideas related to your studies, don’t use it as a copy-and-paste tool to blindly research information. AI isn’t going to go away, so it’s important you learn how to use it to assist your studies as early as possible in your degree. Good luck with your studies!

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