STILL / FIELD NOTES 13

Noise dose: level, time and the reference matter

Noise dose combines sound level and exposure time under a specified model. A result depends on the criterion level, exchange rate and other settings. It also depends on a credible sound-pressure measurement: unadjusted dBFS should not be treated as environmental exposure.

September 8, 2026 · Arve Tech, maker of Still

Models are not interchangeable

NIOSH uses an occupational recommendation of 85 dBA over eight hours with a 3 dB exchange rate. Other frameworks use different parameters. Those settings cannot be silently exchanged, and an occupational recommendation is not a universal rule for every environment or individual.

Use the display within its limits

Still includes exposure views, but the app is not a certified meter or dosimeter. A brief sample cannot establish your entire day, and a reference adjustment does not validate every microphone condition. Use appropriate equipment and qualified assessment for workplace compliance.

Try a repeatable approach

1. Identify the model and its settings.
2. Check the units, reference status and coverage of the exposure period.
3. Do not use an app estimate as a guarantee of hearing safety.

Source and scope

NIOSH: understand noise exposure

Measurement guidance is educational. Still is not a certified sound level meter and does not establish medical, legal or workplace-compliance conclusions. App-specific statements describe version 1.0.0, currently awaiting App Store review.