Sensors to be fitted in city park as part of new sound experiment

Innovative sound technology is set to reveal how city dwellers might better tune in to the natural world around them.

Sensors placed in a green space in central Edinburgh will capture ultrasonic and audible noises of bats, birds and other wildlife, as well as traffic and human activity.

The Citysounds project seeks to provide fresh understanding of the ways in which people and nature coexist, while charting the richness and diversity of a much-loved public park, the Meadows.

Project leaders hope the results can inform new approaches that improve people’s lives.

The sounds will be combined with other data from the sensors, such as light levels, humidity and temperature, to answer a range of questions about the city’s interactions with nature.

Captured sounds will also be processed to anonymise any human speech.

Findings could, for instance, reveal the activity of the bat population, ways in which traffic noise influences animals’ activities or highlight seasonal variations in people’s behaviour.

The outcomes could inform how land is used for the benefit of people, wildlife and the economy, and increase the quality of urban green space. Researchers said data from the project would be used to inspire an interactive sound artwork.

The experiment forms part of the University of Edinburgh’s Internet of Things initiative, which is exploring ways in which internet-connected devices can enrich everyday life.