According to research, not only are noisy trucks flying overhead a source of noise pollution-related stress, but the effect of that stress lingers on the body long after noise levels have been reduced.
Would traffic noise from future flying cars cause stress?
GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images
Researchers from Nagoya University and Keio University in Japan calculated a person's stress levels as a result of hearing a flying automobile pass by, as per ScienceDaily.
In September 2022, the study was published in the Technical Journal of Advanced Mobility.
As various vehicle corporations and start-ups build new personal aircraft, the drone business is rising.
The long-awaited flying automobile, made famous in films such as "Blade Runner," might soon become a frequent sight in cities all over the world.
However, while the automobile industry is working hard to catch up to the fantasy, few inventors or science fiction authors have given any attention to how noise from the roaring and buzzing of flying vehicle engines would influence people's psychological condition.
The study's lead author, Professor Susumu Hara of Nagoya University's Department of Aerospace Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, noted that in previous industrial revolutions, people frequently prioritized technological advancement and economic demands over social and environmental issues such as noise and air pollution.
He contended that we cannot expect technology to improve our society until it is well-integrated into our daily life.
As a result, his team ran an experiment to measure people's stress levels in a world with flying automobiles.
Participants in the study saw brief movies that represented vehicles flying across a metropolis.
The movies were supposed to give viewers the impression that a vehicle was flying 15 meters over them at 15.5 miles per hour (25 km per hour).
The movies utilized audio recordings of an industrial drone flying at a speed and height similar to the flying automobile featured in the videos to replicate such a situation.
Participants saw the film eight times, with the volume of the audio changing with each viewing to see how the noise level affected the participants.
Two separate measures were used to determine the stress levels of the participants.
First, while they were watching the videos, a Kansei Analyzer, a portable EEG instrument, monitored their brain activity. Second, after viewing each movie, participants completed a written questionnaire.
The researchers discovered that the noise intensity of the flying automobile corresponded to each person's self-reported stress level.
Participants reported higher tension as the noise level rose.
They reported lower stress levels when the noise intensity was reduced. Brain activity data, on the other hand, revealed a distinct pattern.
The EEG results indicated greater levels of stress among the subjects when the noise level increased for the first time in the experiment, as expected.
However, after being exposed to high noise, the individuals' stress levels did not diminish - even when the noise level was reduced.
This might imply that, while most people believe they can grow acclimated to loud noise, it may be causing them stress without their being aware of it.
To safeguard people's health, addressing the long-term implications of chronic loud traffic noise exposure in a future where flying automobiles are continually landing, taking off, and zipping over us is critical.
Checking brain activity, in addition to self-reported evaluation, may be required to evaluate stress from noise.
When it comes to flying automobiles, it's evident that aerospace engineers should emphasize making them quieter.
However, we do not know how to establish the appropriate sound level for preserving residents' health at this time.
What are the consequences of noise pollution for one's health?
Even while sleeping, the brain is always monitoring noises for indicators of danger. As a result, excessive or loud noise might cause worry or tension, as per Medical News Today.
The susceptibility to stress rises with repeated exposure to noise pollution.
Noise pollution can make people irritated, tense, annoyed, or furious.
When a person believes they have little control over the quantity of noise in their environment, the impact on their mental health worsens.
According to certain studies, noise pollution may indirectly lead to other health problems.
A 2018 analysis found evidence that short-term noise pollution exposure can temporarily elevate blood pressure and increase blood viscosity.
Children are especially vulnerable to noise-induced hearing loss, according to the 2018 assessment.
A 2014 study discovered that eight hours of continuous noise exposure might produce irreversible hearing impairments in youngsters.
