Project · draft
Street Noise Level Meter (I2S Microphone, dB Logging)
- intermediate
- 6-8 hours
SDG 11 · Sustainable Cities and Communities
Maps noise exposure around a school, market or junction, one of the urban environmental impacts that target 11.6 asks cities to reduce.
Safety notes
- Indicative only: an uncalibrated MEMS meter is not a Class 1/2 sound level meter and its readings cannot be used for official noise-rule complaints.
- Record levels, not audio, to respect privacy.
Draft and unofficial, not affiliated with Fab Academy or the United Nations. Check prices, GST and parts before you buy.
Summary
An ESP32 with an INMP441 microphone shows the current and peak sound level on an OLED and an LED bar, and logs readings to a dashboard so you can compare places and times of day.
What it teaches
Capture audio over I2S, compute RMS level in dBFS, apply an approximate A-weighting, calibrate the offset against a reference meter, and log time-stamped readings over Wi-Fi with an honest uncertainty note.
Topics it touches, in Fab Academy-style terms:
- Input devices
- Output devices
- Embedded programming
- Networking and communications
- Computer-controlled cutting (optional case)
Parts list
Parts cost
Some parts are not priced yet, so there's no total.
1 required part is marked not priced yet below, and 1 optional. Where a price is known it is shown per part, GST-inclusive as the seller listed it on 24 Oct 2026, with the GST rate unverified. Shipping is not included.
| Part | Qty | Unit | Price, GST-incl. as listed | Line cost | GST | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32 NodeMCU 30-Pin WiFi Bluetooth Development Board CP2102esp32-devkit-30pin | 1 | pcs | ₹425 | ₹425 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| INMP441 I2S MEMS microphone moduleinmp441-i2s-mic | 1 | pcs | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| 0.96 Inch OLED Display Module SPI/I2C 4pin Blue Coloroled-096-i2cI2C 0x3C | 1 | pcs | ₹167 | ₹167 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| WS2812 8 Bit RGB LED (straight)led-ws2812-8barLevel bar | 1 | pcs | ₹30 | ₹30 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| 400 Tie Points Solderless Breadboardbreadboard-half-400 | 1 | pcs | ₹39 | ₹39 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Male to Female Jumper Wires (20cm) (20pcs)jumpers-f2m-20cm-20Pack: pack of 20 male-female 20cm | 1 | set | ₹28 | ₹28 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Male to Male Jumper Wires (20cm) (20pcs)jumpers-m2m-20cm-20Pack: pack of 20 male-male 20cm | 1 | set | ₹31 | ₹31 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Part | Qty | Unit | Price, GST-incl. as listed | Line cost | GST | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB A Type to Micro USB B Type 1M Cable (Colour may vary)cable-usb-micro-1mSkip if you already have a data-capable micro-USB cable | 1 | pcs | ₹36 | ₹36 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| Cast/extruded acrylic sheet, 3 mm (laser-cut parts)acrylic-3mm-sheetLaser-cut case with mic port | 1 | sheet | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
The Part column links to the shared catalogue. Units are pcs, m, g, sheet or set, and a "set" is the seller's pack, as noted per part.
Tools you will need
- Laptop with Arduino IDE/PlatformIO
- Reference: a calibrated sound level meter (borrow) or, less accurate, a phone app
Build notes
Step-by-step build notes have not been written yet for this draft. The summary, the topics above and the parts list are what exists so far.
How to buy
There is no online checkout. To buy or import these parts, email info@curiosta.com and say what you need. The button opens your own email app with a draft; nothing is sent until you send it.
Prices on this site are third-party seller listings, not a Curiosta quote. Ask by email for availability, price and GST.