Comparative study of a low frequency emergency siren to traditional siren technology

Abstract

This study measures and compares the acoustic characteristics of a traditional electronic emergency siren and an innovative low frequency Rumbler siren technology. The Rumbler siren’s low frequency emissions can travel further and have a greater ability to penetrate and induce structure-bone excitation in nearby vehicle cabins compared to other siren technology. The result is a better ability to warn both nearby vehicles and pedestrians thus lessening the potential of emergency vehicle collisions. The siren technologies were evaluated using three measurement scenarios to determine acoustic localization characteristics, drive-by effectiveness, and the ability to overcome the problem shadowing phenomenon typical at congested intersections. A comparative analysis of the acoustical characteristics of the standalone siren and the addition of The Rumbler system provided insight in regards to the relative effectiveness of each siren mode. The siren system equipped with The Rumbler technology gave a noticeable increase in sound pressure level for each of the three test scenarios. Through analysis of the measured data, the overall performance of the emergency siren system with the Rumbler technology was shown to be a more effective emergency notification device compared to the standalone electronic siren.