The Background - Artificial Human Sensors: Science and Applications - page 13

Music is a predetermined form of physical energy waves that is constantly
present in our daily lives, and in its pure form is considered to establish a link be-
tween humans and the arts through our senses and enjoyment. This phenomenon
normally creates a pleasure for the mind and may be healthy if conveyed by the
body's own physical condition.
On the other hand, if the sound is experienced as undesired, unpleasant or
unwanted, then it is defined as noise that may be considered as a personal health
risk. Then in general terms, and due to this reasoning, the background sound
in elevators, car radio, gym, shopping malls and at the dentists may be defined
as background noise, i.e., unwanted sound. The background noise often causes
communication problems to elderly people who have permanent hearing loss,
when they desperately try to be a part of social life. Noise may also affect children
and young adults where the risk of acquiring hearing loss has increased substan-
tially in the last decades, Morata (2007).
A number of scientific publications have defined a risk moment in music
induced noise that may cause permanent hearing loss, e.g., Kenna (2008).
This auditory phenomenon is most likely based on the change in the young
population's new behaviours and social pattern. The music induced noise
behaviour supports the need of developing new techniques and provides alter-
native possibilities in designing new and better performing in personal music de-
vices. The perception of ever increasing sound intensive levels during concerts
and at night-clubs have made music exposure one of the most studied sources of
excessive sound exposure to children and young adults.
New technologies have principally made the auditory and vision perceptual
systems suitable for virtual enjoyments. Human perceptions, such as music, televi-
sion, videos, games and other media have instantly made impressive experiences
available for almost everyone. Since the introduction of personal cassette players
in the 1970 s, the development has been very technologically impressive and per-
formance driven, aiming to deliver freedom of experience to each and everyone
with an individual choice anywhere at anytime. Nowadays, we are able to listen
to vast number of music materials for constantly long periods of time, and keep
the equipment in our pocket or built in the mobile telephone. The compressed
hand held unit has become popular due to their light weight and great versatil-
ity in storing different kinds of experience, making it easy to listen to music, play
games or watch movies anywhere and practically anytime. The integrated music
equipment has become a necessary icon for all ages, which we bring with us as a
necessary tool, ensuring accessibility in our daily life.
The issue of personal music equipment has on the other hand brought up the
question of potential risks to young people's hearing capability. This type of music
overflow may not be considered to be noise, since noise by definition is unwanted
sound, whereas music from a device is often quite the opposite. Hearing loss due
to noise exposure may therefore be an individual health risk to anyone who is
listening to abnormal sound. In several publications, a variety of implications have
been made, such as portable music players may damage hearing, and also that