Monitoring of urban noise

This study describes the design and field testing of a low-cost Mobile Internet of Things (M-IoT) platform for real-time urban noise monitoring and mapping. The system integrates portable nodes equipped with MEMS noise sensors and GSM communication to collect georeferenced sound-pressure data and transmit them to an online GIS platform that produces dynamic heat maps. A five-day pilot in downtown San Salvador, El Salvador, demonstrated its practicality: morning noise levels generally stayed below 60 dB, while afternoon measurements rose to 70–90 dB, with occasional peaks near 110 dB around busy intersections and Libertad Park. These results reveal a strong link between traffic density, pedestrian activity, and elevated acoustic pollution. Because the hardware is inexpensive and easily deployed, the approach is well suited to resource-constrained municipalities. By providing continuous, location-specific noise data, the system enables local authorities and planners to identify hotspots, implement targeted mitigation policies, and support healthier, more livable urban environments.

Art by Pixabay. Photo from aled7.

Publications

O.O. Flores-Cortez, C. Pocasangre, and F. Arévalo (2026). “A Low-Cost Portable MIoT System for Noise and Air Pollution Spatial Profiling: A Case Study in San Salvador”. In: Huang, G., Huang, G., Li, Y., Zeng, Y. (eds) Environmental Science and Technology: Sustainable Development IV. ICEST 2025. Environmental Science and Engineering. Springer, Cham. doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-19811-2_20.

O. O. Flores-Cortez, F. Arévalo, and C. P. Jimenez, "Portable IoT-Based System for GIS Mapping of Urban Noise: a Case Study in Downtown San Salvador," 2025 IEEE Conference on Technologies for Sustainability (SusTech), Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2025, pp. 1-7, doi: 10.1109/SusTech63138.2025.11025801.