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Introduction: Environmental noise is recognized by the World Health Organization as a significant public health concern, negatively impacting human health and well-being. To address and better understand these effects, the "De Oorzaak" citizen science project was initiated in Flanders, Belgium. Objective: This study aims to assess the effects of environmental noise on health, stress, and sleep among the Flemish population. It also seeks to explore the relationship between sound sensitivity and sociodemographic factors. Material and methods: A comprehensive population-level questionnaire was administered to thousands of Flemish residents over a one-month period. This survey included questions on quality of life, health status, stress levels, sleep quality, and detailed sociodemographic information. Additionally, a subset of 100 participants from Antwerp underwent an extensive audiological test battery. This included self-report questionnaires, audiometry, and a newly developed diagnostic test for hyperacusis utilizing natural sounds. Participants were categorized into two groups based on their scores from the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ): with or without hyperacusis. Results: Data collection is ongoing, and preliminary analysis focuses on the correlation between various measures of sound sensitivity and other demographic variables. Conclusions: The "De Oorzaak" project leverages citizen science to generate a rich dataset that will enhance our understanding of the public health implications of environmental noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the modal parameters of bridges and other large civil constructions has become an important research issue. Different approaches have been proposed depending on the excitation used: ambient excitations (due to wind, traffic, ..) or artificial excitations (e.g. impact test with heavy drop weights). In practice it turns out that not all modes are well excited by the ambient forces. Hence the application of an artificial actuator is advisable. The problem is that larger constructions often require large and heavy excitation devices, which are hard to manipulate. Another difficulty encountered in performing a modal analysis on large civil constructions is the necessity for a large number of high sensitivity sensors. Consequently a large number of cables has to be installed resulting in a large setup time. This paper is a proof-of-concept which demonstrates the possibility of using lightweight Pneumatic Artificial Muscles combined with the scanning laser Doppler vibrometer to perform a modal analysis on a civil structure. This combination allows for an important reduction in setup time and allows for sine testing as well as the application of broadband signals such as periodic chirps, true noise or multisines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]