A reverse-warning alarm that automatically adjusts the level of sound it emits to suit prevailing conditions has been launched by Brigade Electronics. It's designed to be fitted to vehicles that may sometimes work in quiet locations where a loud alarm may cause nuisance, and sometimes in noisy locations, where a quiet alarm may not be heard.The intelligent bbs-tek backalarm uses digital sound sampling to measure the ambient sound pressure level and turns the alarm up or down accordingly. Its sound level ranges from 77 to 97dB(A).
Bbs-tek reversing alarms use broadband sound — usually referred to as 'white sound' — which localises the noise they make to the danger area. That makes them more effective than an ordinary beeper, contends Brigade, because the latter's sound can be heard some distance away.
As a consequence people are likely to become desensitised to the racket, claims the company, and ignore it. By doing so they are potentially putting themselves at risk because the hazard highlighted by the next beeper they hear and choose to ignore may be a lot closer than they think.
