Filipe Espósito
Back in 2019, Apple announced three new health research studies based on
data collected from the iPhone and Apple Watch. To coincide with
International Noise Awareness Day yesterday, the company shared updates on
its Hearing Study conducted in partnership with the University of Michigan.
Apple Hearing Study
Since watchOS 6, Apple Watch users can rely on the Noise app, which measures
the level of noise in the users environment, to warn of potential ear
damage.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), people shouldnt be exposed to an average annual
noise level above 70 decibels (dBA).
The study, conducted in partnership between Apple and the University of
Michigan, uses this data to measure the impacts of noise exposure on hearing
health.
In 2021, Apple shared the first insights from this study, which showed that
25% of participants experienced exposure to sound levels louder than the
recommended limit at some point.
In most instances, this happened during common situations like being in
traffic, working with machinery, and riding public transportation.
The most recent data show that 1 in 3 adults in the US, around 77 million
people, are exposed to excessive noise levels. The states with the highest
populations have the largest number of those affected by high-decibel noise.
This includes California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
The highest percentage of participants exposed to noise levels that are
often above 70 dBA reside in Puerto Rico (44%) and the lowest percentage
reside in Washington DC (20%).
Heres how to protect your ears from external noise
According to Apple and the University of Michigan, there are a few things
people can do to protect themselves from loud noises. These include wearing
hearing protection devices such as earplugs in noisy environments, buying
quiet appliances, and taking regular breaks from noisy areas when possible.
If you own an Apple Watch, be sure to check out the Noise app for a better
idea of the sound noise levels in your environment. You can also enable
notifications for when youre exposed to above-recommended levels for
extended periods of time.
Its worth noting that the Apple Hearing Study is available in the United
States through the Apple Research app for iPhone at:
https://www.apple.com/ios/research-app/
9to5Mac.
===========================================================
The fb-exchange mailing list
Manage account,
List Page: https://www.freelists.org/list/fb-exchange
Archive: https://www.freelists.org/archive/fb-exchange
To unsubscribe: log onto the List page and select "Unsubscribe".
Administrative contact: insight@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
===========================================================
