2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Studies on the optimum transmission of speech and acoustic information in public spaces-For universal design of acoustic environment-
| Project/Area Number |
16360292
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Architectural environment/equipment
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| Research Institution | Kobe University |
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Principal Investigator |
MORIMOTO Masayuki Kobe University, Faculty of Engineering, Professor (10110800)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | public space / speech transmission performance / listening difficulty / universal design / elderly person / word familiarity |
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| Research Abstract |
The goal of the present study is to optimize transmission of speech and acoustic information in public spaces, with consideration of the design to achieve optimal conditions for everyone, that is, universal design. The summaries of the results of the present study are as follows.
1. Actual measurements of environmental sounds in public spaces
To clarify the method for estimating acoustical characteristics of background noise, actual measurements at subway stations and an airport were performed. The results showed that: (1) A-weighted equivalent sound level and frequency characteristics of background noise in subway stations can be roughly estimated by numbers of passengers per day. (2) Acoustical characteristics of the airport measured in the present study were similar to that of medium-scale subway stations.
2. Evaluation of speech transmission performance using “listening difficulty ratings"
“Listening difficulty ratings," which is a subjective measure of speech transmission performance, is suggested in the present study. The result of listening tests demonstrates that listening difficulty ratings can evaluate speech transmission performance more sensitively than existing subjective measures. The results of other several listening tests showed that: (1) spatial characteristics of sounds did not affect listening difficulty. (2) Usual acoustical objective measures can estimate listening difficulty ratings. (3) The optimal speech levels for both the young and the aged were found in reverberant and noisy sound fields tested in the present study.
3. Fundamental studies on familiarity of words used in announcements in public spaces
Familiarity of words actually used in announcements in public spaces was surveyed. The results showed that the familiarity of words used in live announcements seemed to be lower than that used in the examples of announcement which are listed on announcement manuals.
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Research Products
(20 results)
