Case study | Soundsensing

About Soundsensing

Soundsensing manufactures sensors and software that monitor machinery in commercial buildings. The sensors learn the rhythm of each motor, for example, the ventilation system. With the help of machine learning, the software understands when irregular sounds occur – and alerts the building's owners. This opens up the possibility for necessary maintenance and repairs to be carried out before the machines break down. Norway's leading players in commercial real estate are already on Soundsensing's customer list, which is a start-up founded by former students at NMBU in Ås outside Oslo.

Challenges

Predictable operation is fundamental for anyone who owns commercial buildings. It's expensive to handle unexpected events related to, for example, pumps and ventilation systems, and they can create significant problems for tenants. Such machines should be replaced or repaired only when necessary, and not at fixed intervals. Manual monitoring of such machines is often tedious work. For tenants, frustration often arises when the temperature and air quality are not as expected.

Solutions

Soundsensing places small sensors on the machines being monitored. These communicate via Bluetooth with a mobile modem nearby. Through the mobile network of Com4, the sounds are continuously forwarded to Soundsensing's software, which learns the engine's unique rhythm and sound. Machinery in buildings usually has a clear change in sound before problems occur. The software uses machine learning, and when noise occurs, the building owner is notified through an app. By the beginning of 2024, 6 million hours of sound had been transmitted via the Com4 mobile network.

Results

Over 1500 sensors are already in place in almost 150 buildings, belonging to well-known companies such as Statsbygg, Thon, Eiendomsspar, and the City of Oslo. By using the mobile network, the challenges associated with installation are minimized. All that is needed on-site is power for the modem. The owners of the commercial buildings experience more predictable operations and lower costs related to maintenance and replacement of machines. And those who work in the buildings, they experience even fewer frustrations than before – at least frustrations caused by the buildings.

Sensors

1500 +

Over 1500 Soundsensing sensors are operational across 150 buildings with notable clients including Statsbygg and Oslo City.

Buildings

150 +

Building owners benefit from smoother operations and reduced maintenance and repair costs, while occupants enjoy fewer building-related frustrations.

Customers

50 +

More than 50 customers have the capability to perform preventive maintenance and parts replacement on machines.

Sound Hours

6 M+

As of early 2024, the Com4 mobile network has carried 6 million hours of audio.

"It's often a tedious task to monitor machines that run as they should 99.5% of the time. With our solution based on Com4 technology, workdays are better, and we contribute to fewer cars on the road."