Mobile Devices in Acoustics

     There are many ways to get measurements for acoustic design.  The current and most known way is to lug around a large case of equipment.  This is can be tiresome and costly if travelling by air.  This case usually consists of equipment necessary for room analysis and measurement.  A consultant would go into the space, set up the equipment, and take some impulse measurements to be analyzed back in the office.  These measurements help give the consultant an idea of how sound is behaving in the space.  They are a critical step in the design an consulting process.  So if this is such an important step, then how come people are still lugging around huge cases of equipment?  Shouldn't there be a better way by now?        

     Well, there short answer is yes, there are more convenient ways.  However, many professionals prefer to use the case of gear because the portable methods have not yet proven their reliability.  In this post I will discuss some of the more convenient methods that acousticians can use to conduct room analyses, and why some still prefer the old methods. 

     Before I dive into the discussion, take a moment to watch the following video from Apple's website.  It shows how some consulting companies are using Apple products to conduct room analysis and other on-site operations.  

http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/profiles/theatre-consultants-collaborative/

     As seen in the video, iPad can replace that entire case of equipment.  There are apps in the App Store that can be used to take measurements for acoustic and AV consulting work.  As with different pieces of gear, the apps have different calibrations and may differ from each other in accuracy of measurements.  This is where reviews and testing of free versions come in handy.  These apps pose a great use of mobile and tablet technology.  Here is a list of some of the more popular apps for consultants.

AudioTools
AutoCAD WS
Audio Tool
RTA

     Some professionals are skeptical when it comes to using mobile technology to take important measurements that are critical to the project.  From my discussions with professionals in the industry, it comes down to the accuracy of the apps, and the filters put in place on the input jack for these devices.  Professionals usually use high quality microphones and high quality interfaces to conduct their measurements.  It is this that causes them to be skeptical because mobile devices use filters and limiters on their inputs that may not be up to par with the high quality interfaces.  There are some solutions to this problem that are starting to ease the transition into a more mobile work environment.  

     There are a number of products on the market that are high quality microphones designed for iPad and iPhone.  This allows the user to bypass the built in microphone to get better quality measurements.  There are even some iPad interfaces that help to compensate for any filtering and limiting by using the charge port instead of the 1/8" headphone jack.  I have seen professionals use these items for quick measurements in situations where they just needed a rough reading and nothing too specific.  However, for important measurements to be analyzed and included in reports, they still turn to their case.  I think that the industry is slowly transitioning and once mobile devices have proved their results, then more people will start to ditch their bulky cases for a sleeker, more efficient approach.

-Jon