Share thisThere are a significant number of possible factors that can influence research results. Some factors that are easily investigated include light/dark cycles, temperature, humidity, air flow control, and watering and feeding procedures. However, two of the lesser understood and more challenging factors to examine are how acoustics and vibrations affect animal well-being.
Published studies have shown that sound and vibration can affect the results of research in which animals are used.Due to anatomical differences, the sensitivity of animals to sound and vibration differs when compared to humans. Since the animal species utilized in research labs vary greatly in size, it is important to recognize that the frequency and amplitude of sound and vibration will impact them differently.As an example, small animals are more sensitive to higher frequencies and lower amplitudes than a larger animal or human exposed to the same source. Therefore, the impact of acoustics and vibrations on animal well-being is often overlooked and under appreciated.
Limited by our hearing capability and supported by published data, the noise and vibration levels that impact animal well-being require significant consideration during the planning and design phases of projects. For facilities where construction is completed and breeding or research issues exist, it is important to understand where to begin investigating these issues.To accurately investigate the acoustic and vibration impact on the animals, it is critical to understand the measurement equipment limitations and environmental challenges.
Measurement Equipment Limitations and Differences
Acoustic and vibration measurement equipment is manufactured by a number of different companies, each offering a slightly different capability and equipment configuration.Some of the common vendors that manufacture acoustic and vibration measurement equipment include Agilent Technologies, Bruel & Kjaer, Larson Davis, LMS, National Instruments, and Scantek. Some measurement equipment is designed for a dedicated service such the programmable vibration monitor shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, measurement equipment is designed to be flexible and expandable to meet unique measurement requirements. The measurement equipment can be designed to have one channel for a transducer (accelerometer or microphone), or it may be able to expand to accommodate multiple transducers measuring simultaneously.