UrbanQuiet
Map the silence. Find your quiet.
Urban noise is a public health problem. Most city noise maps are years out of date. UrbanQuiet lets anyone build a real-time picture of what the city actually sounds like — street by street.
Why it matters
Health Canada defines harmful exposure as sustained noise above 65 dB. Long-term exposure increases risk of hypertension by 34% and heart attack by 20% — even during sleep, when you can't consciously hear it.
Most municipal noise surveys are done once per decade. In Waterloo Region, a single new construction site, LRT expansion, or busy bar can dramatically change a neighbourhood's noise profile overnight.
Lost productivity, medical treatment, and reduced quality of life from chronic noise exposure costs the Canadian economy billions per year — yet most cities have no real-time data to act on.
Every sample you submit adds a data point that didn't exist before — making the map more accurate for students finding study spots, parents choosing neighbourhoods, and researchers studying urban health.
How it works
No audio is stored — only loudness metrics and location.
Microphone access is used only during active recording.