Walking around and painting the town

There is a DePIN app ("Silencio") you can install on your phone that rewards you with NOISE tokens for recording ambient noise levels (decibels) as you walk/travel around.

This project is still fairly new and the NOISE token is not yet on crypto exchanges. The roadmap says an airdrop will be forthcoming for early adopters.

A few points I've gleaned from some cursory investigation:

• You have to initiate recording sessions manually and each session can be a max of 30 minutes.
• It doesn't work if you are moving faster than 12km/hr or so (while moving in a vehicle).
• It doesn't work if you enable developer mode on your phone.
• You need an active internet connection for it to work (better have unlimited minutes phone plan to use outside of WiFi zones)

This is my referral info if you want to check it out:

Hi there! Join the world's biggest noise mapping network.

Take the first step to fighting Noise Pollution while earning Noise Coins!

Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/silencionework/id6444363412
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quickkonnect.silencio

Use my username "pmbug" as your invitation code when signing up.

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A short video about Silencio:

pmbug said:

There is a DePIN app ("Silencio") you can install on your phone that rewards you with NOISE tokens for recording ambient noise levels (decibels) as you walk/travel around.
...

Click to expand...

I have been using this app a bit since I last posted about it. I don't know if the developers are going to be successful in monetizing their data (and thus providing value to the NOISE tokens), but irrespective of whether or not the NOISE tokens ever achieve any material value, the app itself is kind of fun and motivating to get me off my duff and walk around a lot more.

The app includes a section that shows a map of your area (like google maps) overlaid with a grid of hexagons. Any hexagons that have had sound levels measured in will show as colored in (representing the sound levels measured). You earn more NOISE tokens for measuring sound in new hexagons, so the system encourages you to walk around new paths/areas. In a sense, you get to "paint the town" by walking while recording sound levels.

One thing I did notice is that the app can have trouble when transitioning from 4G to WiFi hotspot and back. It's best when walking around to stop the measurement every 10 minutes or so and then start a new one rather than try and record a full 30 minutes at a time. I've had the app mysteriously close while the phone screen was off and I had walked for 20 minutes or so. That was aggravating. Now that I stop every 10 minutes or so, I haven't had any problem.

If you have an unlimited cell phone data plan and either walk a lot or want to start walking more, I'd encourage you to give this app a go. It's kind of fun and motivating and there is a potential for it to return some value for your time. If you do decide to install the app and try it out, please do use my "pmbug" invitation code:

Download the app:
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/silencionework/id6444363412
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.quickkonnect.silencio

Use my username "pmbug" as your invitation code when signing up.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

I have been using this app a bit since I last posted about it. I don't know if the developers are going to be successful in monetizing their data (and thus providing value to the NOISE tokens), but irrespective of whether or not the NOISE tokens ever achieve any material value, the app itself is kind of fun and motivating to get me off my duff and walk around a lot more.
...

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pmbug said:

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I would have signed up, but I only use a flip phone.

pmbug said:

There is a DePIN app ("Silencio") you can install on your phone that rewards you with NOISE tokens for recording ambient noise levels (decibels) as you walk/travel around. ...

Click to expand...

We know you’ve been asking “Wen TGE?” “Wen airdrop?” “Wen updates?” and we hear you loud and clear. It’s time for an update on where we’ve been, where we’re heading, and how you can get the most out of being part of the Silencio community. Today, we’re here to spill the alpha and outline the exciting path ahead.

In this article, we’ll break down our journey so far, give you the inside scoop on the 5% beta airdrop (which is just starting!), introduce the new features in our latest app update, unveil our brand-new website, our upgraded referral program and last but most certainly not least, the plans for the TGE!. So grab your coffee, sit tight, and let’s dive in!
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TGE = token generation event

What is the business or social value to recording noise levels? How will that data be useful?

Someone_else said:

What is the business or social value to recording noise levels? How will that data be useful?

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A1:


A2:

I would expect, correlating ambient noise to various health aspects - mental health, physical issues, loss of hearing.

One railroad job I worked for 18 months, had me in a switch locomotive made in 1959, that generated INCREDIBLE noise. I used two layers of ear protection, plugs and then shooters' muffs, and still it bothered me. My days were 12 hours long in that noise.

I'd say the background noise information is useful.

Noise pollution is a big deal. Around me you can hear traffic noise a lot. In the city there's all kind of noise. Does get on your nerves and isn't too good for your mental & physical health.

Looking for a new place to live? A place for a nice quiet meal? Somewhere to get away for a week? Forewarned is forearmed.

Getting rewarded for simply providing noise levels around you seems like a winner to me.

Walked another old road I've never traveled before this morning. Like most old roads in my town, This road has no curb, no shoulder and no street lights. The edge of the pavement immediately slopes into a culvert. On one side of this particular street there are typical subdivision neighborhoods. On the other side were huge custom homes set way back off the street on 10-15 acre lots. Some of these lots have some wild woods hiding the homes from the street.

This morning I was reminded of when I was young. There was no internet, cell phones, or video games. As kids, we wandered around outside and found things to entertain ourselves. There were a lot more undeveloped tracts of wild forest back then too and I used to wander around in them. I had the more or less typical young boy fascination with small critters like lizards, frogs and snakes - happy to catch any I found in my wanderings. Part of that fascination was learning about the four types of venomous snakes in Texas. Around the coast where I grew up, there were really only two that were common to see - the cotton mouth/water moccasin and the copperhead. And I saw my fair share of cotton mouth snakes and to a much lesser degree copperheads. While I was a dumb kid, I was smart enough to avoid dancing with them. Supposedly, there are also coral snakes around these parts, but they are reclusive and reportedly very rare to see (I never saw any as a kid). Even so, I still learned the handy rhyme that helps folks distinguish between the coral snake and the king snake:

"Red on Yellow kills a fellow.

Red on Black [venom lacks | friend of Jack]"

So as I was walking back on the wild woods side of the street this morning, I found this roadkill:

Some neighbors decorating their properties and getting into the Halloween spirit (pics taken while walking around this morning):

I live an hour from DC on 45 secluded acres. No traffic noise to speak of but sitting out on my deck at night can be distracting because of all the crickets, peepers, and bull frogs. There have been times when the cacophony was so bad I went inside to get away from it. Noise pollution is noise pollution.