Environmental Sounds Research Articles (Page 1)

ABSTRACT Data assets are important strategic resources in the digital economy era. Some studies have raised concerns regarding the potential problems caused by data assets on firm size dispersion. Using a sample of A-share listed firms in China from 2010 to 2023, we empirically examine the impact of data assets on industry concentration. The findings show that data asset size significantly increases industry concentration. This effect is more significant in regions with advanced digital infrastructure, sound institutional environments, and higher resident digital literacy, and in the core industries of the digital economy, high-tech industries, and competitive industries. The mechanism analysis reveals that increased industry concentration related to data asset size is primarily because of the efficiency effect rather than the monopoly effect. Extended analyses show that increased industry concentration driven by data assets enhances industry innovation capacity. These findings reveal the impact of data assets on industry structure, which is useful for formulating policy measures related to digital economy development.

The article is dedicated to a new field for Ukraine – the acoustic study of the architectural environment, the semantics of sound, and the impact of sound signals on human behavior in urban spaces. The concept of the soundscape, introduced into scientific discourse in the 1970s by R. Murray Schafer and his followers, is explored. They laid the foundation for and initiated acoustic studies of cities in the context of their auditory pollution. The methodology for studying the urban soundscape developed by them became the basis for contemporary practical work and was tested by students of the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture (Kyiv, Ukraine). Their task involved recording changes in the soundscape according to different types of urban spaces and observing human behavior under the influence of sound signals. All research results were visualized on graphic sound maps. The role of sound in perceiving the architectural space of a city is defined in comparison to the significance of sound in cinema. It is noted that, as in cinema, sound in the urban architectural environment has its own functions: illustration; contrast or counterpoint to the visual sequence; communication; synchronization; structuralization. As in films, sounds can emphasize events (e.g., the sound of a theatrical celebration in a city square), maintain tension in transitional spaces (e.g., the sound of a traffic light), warn of danger, obstacles, or threats (e.g., the sound of a siren), act as a dominant element indicating direction (e.g., a clock on a town hall), convey the novelty of a space or its mystery (e.g., unclear, atypical sounds for a given soundscape), and so on. Based on this, it is hypothesized that the architectural environment can be modeled by programming impressions of its perception and influencing people’s behavior within it. Sound is one of the most powerful tools for shaping the perception of architectural space, and sound compositions become an essential component of the sound environment of a modern city, requiring further research and the development of principles for urban sound design. The authors note that the study of the semantics of sound in general and sound signals in particular, as well as their influence on human behavior, is not yet complete but holds great promise for further development of such research on the architectural environment of cities, particularly in Ukraine.

Neuroanatomical correlates of auditory and visual statistical learning: Cortical and subcortical volume predictors.

Acoustic stress: how biological and anthropogenic noise shape oxidative balance in a coastal crab.

Recently, there has been increasing interest in developing auditory-to-vibrotactile sensory devices. However, the potential of these technologies is constrained by our limited understanding of which features of complex sounds can be perceived through vibrations. The present study aimed to investigate the vibrotactile perception of acoustic features related to timbre, an essential component to identify environmental, speech and musical sounds. Discrimination thresholds were measured for six features: three spectral (number of harmonics, harmonic roll-off ratio, even-harmonic attenuation) and three temporal (attack time, amplitude modulation depth and amplitude modulation frequency) using auditory, vibrotactile and combined auditory + vibrotactile stimulation in 31 adult humans with normal tactile and auditory sensitivity. Result revealed that all spectral and temporal features can be reliably discriminated via vibrotactile stimulation only. However, for spectral features, vibrotactile thresholds were significantly higher (i.e., worse) than auditory thresholds whereas, for temporal features, only vibrotactile amplitude modulation frequency was significantly higher. With simultaneous auditory and tactile presentation, thresholds significantly improved for attack time and amplitude modulation depth, but not for any of the spectral acoustic features. These results suggest that vibrotactile temporal cues have a more straightforward potential for assisting auditory perception, while vibrotactile spectral cues may require specialized signal processing schemes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-21908-4.

Objectives: This study aims to understand how adults who have previously experienced hearing through sound perceive their choices and adjustments related to using cochlear implants (CIs) by using a qualitative approach. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted using a phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methodologies. The participants consisted of 11 adults (6 females, 5 males; mean age: 36.8±12.2 years; range, 21 to 55 years), all of whom had postlingual hearing loss and had been using a CI for at least one year. Data were collected through semistructured interviews. The interview guide was developed based on expert opinion and included 13 open-ended questions categorized under four thematic areas. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis. The analysis revealed three main themes and nine subthemes. Results: Participants’ experiences with the CI process were grouped into three main themes: decision-making and information, auditory experiences and rehabilitation process, and psychosocial adaptation. Personalized information reduced anxiety and improved readiness. Auditory rehabilitation enhanced awareness of environmental sounds and speech intelligibility, while music perception varied individually. Adaptation to the device involved not only technical but also psychosocial adjustment. Participants reported improved social interactions, greater independence, and highlighted the importance of social support in the adjustment process. Conclusion: Individualized counseling and rehabilitation, the integration of social support systems to this process, and ensuring these services are accessible to all CI candidates and users are vital for successful outcomes and user satisfaction.

Achieving environmental quietness is a common view in reducing noise annoyance and ensuring acoustic comfort. One of the main objectives is to create and protect "quiet" areas as defined in the Environmental Noise Directive. In this direction, quiet areas are thought to contribute to acoustic comfort. Scientific studies have shown that quiet areas are not only related to limit values but also to different factors such as natural elements, historical value, etc. This leads to the concept of acoustic quality space, a view that is inclusive of acoustic comfort. Acoustic quality spaces are important in providing acoustic comfort by adapting to urban life and enriching auditory experiences. In providing acoustic comfort, these experiences are needed as much as reducing the disturbances caused by environmental sounds and silencing the areas where necessary. For this reason, the concept of silence and acoustic quality space should be considered together to provide acoustic comfort that provides the auditory space necessary for the activities of urban users. From this point of view, the study examined which acoustic quality and quiet space features are effective in providing acoustic comfort conditions. The inclusiveness of these concepts and their relationship with each other are discussed with literature.

Previous studies indicate healthcare environments are multi-sensory spaces where soundscape perception affects user experience, but these studies mainly focused on patient perception, neglecting different user groups and architectural settings. This study compares how patients and healthcare staff (doctors and nurses) perceive the auditory environment in two healthcare settings: a university health center and a city hospital, focusing on waiting areas. The university health center is a small, campus-based facility, while the Bilkent Oncology Hospital is a large-scale city hospital. Comparing them reveals how scale and environmental complexity affect soundscape perception quality (PAQ). The study utilized ISO 12913-2 Method A questionnaire to collect in situ data on perceptions of acoustic environments. It consisted of four parts including perceived affective qualities with Turkish attributes. Data were collected through field surveys using a convenience sampling method, with 120 participants in each setting. Results indicate a significant difference in soundscape perceptions. The university health center is perceived as "uneventful" and "monotonous," while the city hospital is "eventful" and "chaotic." Differences were also observed between staff and patient perceptions regarding the overall quality and appropriateness of the sound environment. Findings contribute to soundscape research by identifying how soundscape perception varies across settings and user groups.

Autism is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by restricted, repetitive behaviors and atypical patterns of social communication and interaction. A considerable proportion of autistic individuals experience divergent auditory perception, which can interfere with their ability to navigate everyday sound environments. Auditory brainstem responses are electrophysiological potentials elicited by auditory stimuli that evaluate neural activity along the auditory nerve and brainstem. Importantly, the auditory brainstem response varies by sex, with females typically showing higher amplitudes and shorter latencies than males. This sex-specific neurophysiological profile is especially relevant in autism research, where the male-to-female diagnosis ratio is approximately 3:1. Thus, exploring the neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex-specific variations in autistic traits is essential. Furthermore, autism sensory profiles may vary based on the independent and mutual effects of environmental and genetic factors. To deepen this understanding, we examined auditory brainstem responses in two rat models of autism: the GRIN2B rare mutation model and the prenatal valproic acid induction model, alongside control animals. We assessed peak amplitudes and latencies (Waves I through V), inter-peak intervals (I-III, I-V, and III-V), and amplitude ratios (III:I, V:I, and V:III). Female rats generally exhibited greater amplitudes and longer latencies across waveforms. Regarding rat models, control animals consistently showed larger amplitudes and shorter latencies compared to autism-like models. Exploratory analyses further suggested pairwise interactions between sex and rat model, indicating modulation of auditory phenotypes linked to autism. Thus, our findings reveal key insights into the effects of sex and rat model, as well as their interactions.

Perspectives on self-management of noise intrusion in daily living with hyperacusis.

Gamification in higher education supports instruction and develops key competences. Quizizz is an extended gamified tool increasingly used in teaching contexts. While previous studies have primarily focused on their motivational potential, fewer studies have examined how students’ academic performance relates to their perceptions of these tools. Understanding whether higher-achieving students assess gamified tools more positively can provide educators with insights for designing more effective learning environments. This study, framed within a quantitative ex-post facto design, aimed to explore education undergraduates’ assessments of Quizizz as a teaching resource. A total of 263 Spanish university students enrolled in two education-related programs at the University of Salamanca (Spain) participated. Additionally, significant differences were observed in students’ assessments based on both their subject exam and final grades. Students who obtained “Excellent” marks consistently gave more favourable assessments of Quizizz, especially in terms of its perceived benefits for reviewing content, increasing motivation, and supporting learning, among others. These findings highlight the importance of considering academic performance when interpreting student feedback on educational tools. In conclusion, while gamification is generally well received, it should be applied thoughtfully and in combination with other analogue and digital resources to ensure a balanced and pedagogically sound learning environment.

ABSTRACT This study investigates how the development of government open data platforms influences corporate supply chain resilience. Drawing on data between 2000 and 2022, it employs a staggered DID model to assess resilience changes. The results show that open data platforms significantly strengthen supply chain resilience by fostering corporate innovation and data assetization. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates stronger effects for firms with limited supply chain finance, those in cities with sound credit environments, and firms under high media scrutiny. Overall, the study offers theoretical and practical insights for improving data-related policies.

Assessing the role of digital governance construction in sustainable development: Evidence from China's resource-based cities.

Examining how green space patterns affect noise distribution in urban areas with varying built-up densities.

Strategic environmental monitoring is crucial for maintaining urban health. Despite ranking among the top environmental risks, noise and its management primarily focus on pollution control, neglecting the health- and biorelated information inherent in soundscapes. For holistic urban sound environment monitoring and strategic governance, this study investigated the complexity of urban social-ecological systems (SES) and compiled 27 variables accordingly, including two sound environment-related indicators, to characterize diverse acoustic conditions across SES. The monitoring sites are expected to provide an adequate representative capacity of these various conditions derived from SES complexity, for which we defined a multigranularity clustering coverage score metric. Concurrently, a total of four criteria─coverage score of representativeness, cost efficiency, population coverage, and noise-sensitive areas─are incorporated into the grid-based location optimization algorithm to generate recommended sites. Results from a case city demonstrate that our method can increase 39.5% of global representativeness by the 10 recommended sites, whose individual representativeness was further evaluated to determine coverage range and levels. Notably, many of the recommended sites are in urban green spaces, which tend to host richer natural soundscapes, highlighting the potential for transforming the rationale of sound environment management from noise control to soundscape resource management.

As an important sports venue, the sound environment of the basketball stadium is crucial for the experience of spectators and participants. In order to improve the quality of the acoustic environment of the basketball stadium, the acoustic parameters such as reverberation time, language transmission index and background noise were used to build a comprehensive evaluation system, and the software simulation was improved and optimized. The results show that the language transmission index of most measuring points in the basketball stadium has a high consistency between the on-site measurement values and the simulation results, and the simulation results are relatively accurate. The improved language transmission index values of each measurement point have significantly increased, with an average of 0.58, an increase of 93.33% compared to before the improvement. The improvement strategy effectively improves the acoustic environment of the basketball stadium and better controls the reverberation time in the stadium. The research provides a valuable analysis of the optimization of the sound environment of college basketball stadiums, which provides some reference for the improvement of the sound environment of basketball stadiums, and also has some reference significance for the optimization of the sound environment of other sports venues or entertainment venues. Index terms college basketball stadium; acoustic environment; optimization strategy; acoustic simulation; AHP.

As an important sports venue, the sound environment of the basketball stadium is crucial for the experience of spectators and participants. In order to improve the quality of the acoustic environment of the basketball stadium, the acoustic parameters such as reverberation time, language transmission index and background noise were used to build a comprehensive evaluation system, and the software simulation was improved and optimized. The results show that the language transmission index of most measuring points in the basketball stadium has a high consistency between the on-site measurement values and the simulation results, and the simulation results are relatively accurate. The improved language transmission index values of each measurement point have significantly increased, with an average of 0.58, an increase of 93.33% compared to before the improvement. The improvement strategy effectively improves the acoustic environment of the basketball stadium and better controls the reverberation time in the stadium. The research provides a valuable analysis of the optimization of the sound environment of college basketball stadiums, which provides some reference for the improvement of the sound environment of basketball stadiums, and also has some reference significance for the optimization of the sound environment of other sports venues or entertainment venues. Index terms college basketball stadium; acoustic environment; optimization strategy; acoustic simulation; AHP.

Urban soundscapes are increasingly recognized as fundamental for both ecological integrity and human well-being, yet the complex interplay between the vegetation structure, seasonal dynamics, and microclimatic factors in shaping these soundscapes remains poorly understood. This study tests the hypothesis that vegetation structure and seasonally driven biological activity mediate the balance and the quality of the urban acoustic environment. We investigated seasonal and spatial variations in five acoustic indices (NDSI, ACI, AEI, ADI, and BI) within a historical urban garden in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. Using linear mixed-effects models, we analyzed the effects of season, microclimatic variables, and vegetation characteristics on soundscape composition. Non-parametric tests were used to assess spatial differences in vegetation metrics. Results revealed strong seasonal patterns, with spring showing increased NDSI (+0.17), ADI (+0.22), and BI (+1.15) values relative to winter, likely reflecting bird breeding phenology and enhanced biological productivity. Among microclimatic predictors, temperature (p < 0.001), humidity (p = 0.014), and solar radiation (p = 0.002) showed significant relationships with acoustic indices, confirming their influence on both animal behaviour and sound propagation. Spatial analyses showed significant differences in acoustic patterns across points (Kruskal–Wallis p < 0.01), with vegetation metrics such as tree density and evergreen proportion correlating with elevated biophonic activity. Although the canopy height model did not emerge as a significant predictor in the models, the observed spatial heterogeneity supports the role of vegetation in shaping urban sound environments. By integrating ecoacoustic indices, LiDAR-derived vegetation data, and microclimatic parameters, this study offers novel insights into how vegetational components should be considered to manage urban green areas to support biodiversity and foster acoustically restorative environments, advancing the evidence base for sound-informed urban planning.

Unrecognized mechanical faults and emergency sounds in vehicles can compromise safety, particularly for individuals with hearing impairments and in sound-insulated or autonomous driving environments. As intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) evolve, there is a growing need for inclusive, non-intrusive, and real-time diagnostic solutions that enhance situational awareness and accessibility. This study introduces an interpretable, sound-based machine learning framework to detect vehicle faults and emergency sound events using acoustic signals as a scalable diagnostic source. Three purpose-built datasets were developed: one for vehicular fault detection, another for emergency and environmental sounds, and a third integrating both to reflect real-world ITS acoustic scenarios. Audio data were preprocessed through normalization, resampling, and segmentation and transformed into numerical vectors using Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs), Mel spectrograms, and Chroma features. To ensure performance and interpretability, feature selection was conducted using SHAP (explainability), Boruta (relevance), and ANOVA (statistical significance). A two-phase experimental workflow was implemented: Phase 1 evaluated 15 classical models, identifying ensemble classifiers and multi-layer perceptrons (MLPs) as top performers; Phase 2 applied advanced feature selection to refine model accuracy and transparency. Ensemble models such as Extra Trees, LightGBM, and XGBoost achieved over 91% accuracy and AUC scores exceeding 0.99. SHAP provided model transparency without performance loss, while ANOVA achieved high accuracy with fewer features. The proposed framework enhances accessibility by translating auditory alarms into visual/haptic alerts for hearing-impaired drivers and can be integrated into smart city ITS platforms via roadside monitoring systems.

Convolutional neural network (CNN) models are widely used for environmental sound classification (ESC). However, 2-D convolutions assume translation invariance along both time and frequency axes, while in practice the frequency dimension is not shift-invariant. Additionally, single-scale convolutions limit the receptive field, leading to incomplete feature representation. To address these issues, we introduce a parallel time-frequency multi-scale attention (PTFMSA) module that integrates local and global attention across multiple scales to improve dynamic convolution in order to overcome these problems. We also introduce the parallel branch structure to avoid mutual interference of information in case of extracting time and frequency domain features. Additionally, we utilize learnable parameters that can dynamically adjust the weights of different branches during network training. Building on this module, we develop PTFMSAN, a compact network that processes raw waveforms directly for ESC. To further strengthen learning, between-class (BC) training is applied. Experiments on the ESC-50 dataset show that PTFMSAN outperforms the baseline model, achieving a classification accuracy of 90%, competitive among CNN-based networks. We also performed ablation experiments to verify the effectiveness of each module.