An expert system for predicting the effects of speech interference due to noise pollution on humans using fuzzy approach

In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop an expert system using fuzzy approach to investigate the effects of noise pollution on speech interference. The speech interference measured in terms of speech intelligibility is considered to be a function of noise level, distance between speaker and listener, and the age of the listener. The main source of model development is the reports of World Health Organization (WHO) and field surveys conducted by various researchers. It is implemented on Fuzzy Logic Toolbox of MATLAB using both Mamdani and Sugeno techniques. The results are found to be in good agreement with the findings of World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The study reveals that for good communication at normal distances (‘short’ and ‘medium’) encountered in ambient environment, the noise level should not exceed 65dB(A) for ‘young’ and ‘middle aged’, and 55dB(A) for ‘old’ persons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]