Helping to improve the working environment

/in /by

Solution: IoT sound monitoring
Industry:  Commercial

The brief

A leading office space provider approached cThings to help resolve an issue with poor sound conditions within their latest flagship building. Shortly after the opening of the building, it became apparent that sound levels within the building were causing a poor working environment for staff. The poor acoustic conditions resulted in meeting rooms being perceived as unsuitable due to background noise and causing employees to report a lack of productivity due to the disruption.

The building operator had conducted several acoustic surveys to identify the cause of the issue and take action to retrofit soundproofing. After the improvements were made, however, the building occupants didn’t notice any change and complaints of disruptive noise continued.

We were requested to deploy sound monitoring equipment to collect and analyse the data before and after the installation of new soundproofing measures, in order to determine the effects. Another aim would be to identify problem areas within the building in order to help determine the specification of future soundproofing modifications.

The solution

cThings deployed Sound Sensors throughout the building. These included meeting rooms, open spaces, and corridors. The sensors are battery-powered and use wireless LoRaWAN communication. This meant the installation, setup and commissioning were completed at a low cost and within a day.

Once the sensors were configured to send data to the cThings Cloud, this allowed us to create a digital twin of the building using our flexible hierarchy enabling us to model the acoustic conditions within the building. The customer also benefited from being able to create and download reports to undertake their own analysis.

Using the cThings Cloud empowered the customer to visualise and understand the conditions of their buildings, before and after the installation of additional soundproofing. For the first time, the customer had numerical evidence to determine the effects of the soundproofing.

The results

Following the installation of the sensors and the implementation of the dashboard the customer was able to identify areas of the building that were suffering from the amplification of background noise.

Once these areas were highlighted, the customer targeted these areas for additional soundproofing. With the assistance of external consultants using the collected data, the customer was able to identify high-decibel areas of the building, which in turn were causing other areas to suffer from noise pollution by contagion. These areas were also targeted with the rollout of soundproofing. At the conclusion of this installation, the acoustic performance of the building was significantly improved

The benefits

Low-cost solution

The sensors are battery-powered and use wireless communications which leads to quickly deployed and low-cost projects

Cost savings installation

The sensors can be used to help plan soundproofing or the acoustic performance of buildings. Helping to reduce the cost of retrofitting buildings and to assist in the design of new buildings.

Key performance metrics

The sensors record key parameters such as peak or average sound levels allowing for detailed analysis and to help create the best environments for offices, homes, and public spaces.

Expandable network

The cThings sound monitors also feature secondary sensors to help determine the environmental conditions within the building (temp/humidity/light) and occupancy. Allowing you to understand your building in more detail.

How to get in touch?

If you are interested in this solution, please email info@cthings.io.

We are hiring an IoT specialist

/in /by

Location: The Bradfield Centre, Cambridge Science Park
Contract:  Permanent
Posted:  9 January 2023

Who are we?

We are cThings, a fast-growing start-up based in Cambridge. We develop smart connected devices and services for companies to help them understand and manage their properties and estates. We have an experienced and highly versatile team from the Cambridge technology cluster, who design and deliver products internationally. We provide a range of flexible solutions from rapid device prototyping through to fully managed end-to-end IoT systems.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an IoT Specialist who will:

  • Work with our team to turn creative concepts and ideas into reality
  • Work on a wide range of challenges including: designing and building new products, developing IoT solutions, managing the deployment of IoT systems and networks
  • Work directly with industry leading clients to identify new product developments and resolve issues
  • Undertake data analysis on devices, assets and properties
  • Work closely with all areas of the company, from product management through software development and hardware engineering – to make sure that we are solving the right problems

What skills should you have?

We are looking for you to have the following core skills:

  • Knowledge of the latest IoT technologies
  • Excellent organisation and problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritise and plan effectively
  • Experience in designing IoT products
  • Knowledge of engineering design principles
  • Excellent communication skills
  • The ability to work as part of a team
  • The ability to meet deadlines

It would be useful if you have an understanding of the following technologies/software:

  • Arm Mbed
  • LoRaWAN
  • NB-IoT
  • Python
  • Altium or equivalent electronic design software
  • MySQL

What do we offer?

We offer a competitive salary and the chance to become a leading innovator in a fast-moving and exciting work environment.

  • Opportunities to lead and define the products you work on
  • Competitive package
  • A vibrant start-up atmosphere based at the Bradfield Centre with access to workshops, events and weekly meet-ups
  • Opportunity to develop and progress – plus a solid dedication to work-life balance

It all means you’ll have everything you need to advance your career and achieve your full potential.

How to get in touch?

If you are interested in applying for this role, please email careers@cthings.io.

No agencies please.