Drew Wilson
Sorama will be on the show floor at CES with a new device that may prod coworkers, families and roommates to drop the volume by a few notches.
The CAM iV64 is an acoustic camera that can visualize sound, pinpointing where noise is coming from and thereby empowering users to localize noise pollution — and using it is far from complicated.
“At the CES, visitors will see how easy it is to detect noise leaks and then take corrective measures. It does not require any additional technical knowledge on the part of the camera user,” Sorama CEO Rick Scholte said.
“The interface of the CAM iV64 is similar to that of tablet or smartphone with apps, so taking an acoustic photo or movie is as intuitive and user-friendly as taking a selfie. All you have to do is point the camera at a wall, floor or ceiling and you instantly see where a noise leak is located.”
Noise pollution can include many types of sounds. Some — an officemate click-clacking on their keyboard, for example — might be easy to tune out. But good luck ignoring a jackhammer running 24-7 at a construction site across the street.
The effects of noise pollution have been in the spotlight recently as many people return to working in offices after working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. As discomforting as “black noise” the absence of sound may have been for lonely remote workers, high levels of ambient noise can have substantial impacts on people’s physical health.
According to Sorama, noise pollution can be just as serious of a threat to human health as air pollution. It can lead to heightened stress, high blood pressure and even minor inflammations that can eventually cause cancer or heart failure.
“Unfortunately, tens of millions of Americans suffer from noise pollution. This number may be even higher than we thought. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 56% of all disturbing noise in the U.S. is caused by neighbors and traffic. Traffic noise penetrates homes from outdoors, through a leak between a window and frame, for example. The same applies to noise from neighbors,” Sorama CEO Rick Scholte said.
“Our solution aims to improve life and reduce the impact of noise pollution. We have already improved many lives in Europe, and we want to continue this success in the U.S. — starting at CES 2023, where our acoustic camera is on display to the general public.”
The Sorama CAM iV64 is priced at $10,990. The outlay could potentially save purchasers money in the long run thanks to another feature of the device: the gaps that allow sound into buildings are the same ones that allow energy out of them.
On average, buildings lose 25% of their energy. By visualizing energy loss, it is simple to take targeted measures on that front as well.
