Background
The Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection has been diligently working to address the issue of vehicles exceeding noise levels for years. It is concerning that entire urban neighborhoods are disrupted at night by the relentless roar of a single loud motorcycle. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified noise pollution as a significant environmental threat to public health. Excessive vehicle noise contributes to stress, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death.
Despite the Ministry and Israeli Police’s efforts, enforcing existing noise pollution regulations is challenging due to limited resources. Automatic detection and enforcement mechanisms are urgently needed to combat this issue and restore tranquility to affected communities. Thus this challenge was born.
Goals
Expose the Ministry to different innovative technological solutions which will be able to identify, detect & enforce the noise regulations automatically without the need for lots of resources or manpower.
Companies Selected for Demonstration
Intelligent Instruments (SoundVue), UK
Muller-BBM Industry Solutions, Germany
Results
A live demonstration showcasing the technologies of three companies took place in Acre, Israel. The Minister and the Mayor of Acre were in attendance, along with experts from the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Representatives from the winning companies flew to Israel to showcase their technologies in real-time. This provided the Ministry with insights into the different technologies, their advantages, and disadvantages, in a real-life setting for future procurement. The companies were compensated for the demonstration and gained valuable data and connections.
Challenge’s Area of Excellence
This challenge demonstrates the immense impact of reaching the entire industry with a relatively small incentive. Alongside the three chosen technologies, countless submissions were received from technology companies around the globe. This serves as a testament to the widespread participation and innovative potential fostered by challenge platforms.