Sound-Guard is a PC-based data acquisition system used to measure, monitor, and log the underwater sound levels from any vessel. It is especially useful for research vessels which need to maintain low radiated noise during sensitive scientific operations. Sound-Guard is designed to be used with existing hull mounted hydrophones. However, existing ships without self noise hydrophones, can use Sound-Guard by installing hull-mounted accelerometers.

Sound-Guard will continuously check compliance of a vessel to an underwater sound criterion. The software will display and compare the measured underwater sound to any specified noise limit including the limit specified by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas in the Cooperative Research Report 209 (ICES CRR 209).

The Sound-Guard system consists of an industrial-grade rack-mountable PC and touch screen. All Sound-Guard software features can be operated from the touch screen without the need for a mouse or keyboard. Administrative functions (setting up limits, recalling data) require a keyboard and other software applications such as Notepad and/or Excel. Data acquisition is through a 4-channel PCI-card (one expansion slot). The hydrophones and accelerometers are not supplied with the Sound-Guard System. For best results and to compare data to known standards like ICES, a one time calibration of underwater noise-to-self noise must be performed.

Sound-Guard software features include:

• Measurements up to 4 hydrophones.
• Software selectable underwater noise limits including ICES CRR209 and three user defined limits.
• Selectable factors of safety of 0, ±5, ±10 dB.
• ASCII data logging to a separate file per channel.
• User selectable file name prefix.
• User selectable time interval between data logging from 5 to 100 seconds.
• User selectable number of samples to log.
• Computes and displays current minimum, maximum & average signatures.
• Computes and displays historical minimum, maximum & average signatures.
• Graphic Cursor for both amplitude and frequency.
• Quick read noise limit over/under status window.
• System configuration in ASCII files.

Sound-Guard Main Data Acquisition Screen (click to enlarge)

Sound-Guard Parameters Setup Screen (click to enlarge)

Sound-Guard is a commercially available software package, with pricing starting at $6,500 for software only (no hardware or calibration). For more information contact Nathan Jones at nathan@noise-control.com.