Empathy was the central theme for the winning project of the 10th edition of Solve for Tomorrow in Chile. Guided by teacher Carlos Felipe Zuleta Alfaro from Colegio Esperanza de Quilpué, the Seekers of Silence initiative (S.O.S. is the abbreviation) promotes the inclusion of students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This condition affects the interaction and communication of the person with the outside world and presents various signs, such as feeling uncomfortable in social environments and situations. Although there are 70 million people with TEA around the world, they suffer from prejudice and have their needs often invisibilized. This project created a device to guarantee more comfort to all students by detecting noise levels in real-time.
“If concrete actions are not taken, discrimination can occur unintentionally. For example, it is common for people with ASD to have high hearing sensitivity. One student we spoke with said that he loved to play. Still, he did not want to go out to recess because his classmates would scream and that makes him uncomfortable,” says Zuleta, who is a mathematics teacher, uncle of a child with TEA, and has been studying noise pollution for years. In the case of Seekers of Silence, any excess noise that causes an alteration in the student’s learning or mood is considered.
When the teacher suggested creating a solution to the issue, the students embraced the idea and began researching. Five young people between the ages of 16 and 18, who are in the fourth grade, (that is the last year of compulsory schooling) were involved. They were selected for their academic performance, interest, and availability.
“We did a study and the truth is that many times the response has been to remove the student from the room. Instead of reducing noise pollution so that the student would not have to worry, the solution is to segregate him. This deprives him of learning and social interaction, in addition to promoting little empathy on the part of the rest of the class as well,” believes Zuleta.
The device produces a visual alert for excess noise
After a survey with students, the group identified two critical points: the school cafeteria and the classrooms. But, in the end, it was decided to focus on the classroom because it is the space that impacts learning. Then, current solutions were investigated and first they thought about using noise-reducing headphones. “But, like other solutions we saw, it was a partial response, it didn’t change the root of the problem”, the teacher said.
The Seekers of Silence mechanism uses LED lights, creating a traffic light effect to represent the decibels (a unit used to measure the intensity of sound and other physical quantities) captured. When the light stays red it is because the limit of 40 decibels (dB) is exceeded. The app then notifies responsible adults, so they can act and return to appropriate levels, which vary by class. The device also helps people with attention deficit and other conditions that are more sensitive to sound.
Successive tests have improved the device
At first, the device could not identify what was an extreme noise, other times some of the lights did not work. “An important point was to select a microphone that would detect the distance from the classroom as well. We had to test in the first row, in the second, and so on until the end and also configuring the decibels”, recalls Zuleta.
After the prototype was ready, it was time for practical testing. The team installed the mechanism and tested it in several rooms, measuring the noises while the course continued its routine, checking if everything was going well and noting the limits that each class established as recommended, adjusting the levels, and making improvements throughout this phase.
“The school community was significant to the success of the experiment. The teachers could do tests and ask questions regarding the development of the project. The students adapted to the instructions and actively participated. We had the opportunity to test them a lot,” he says.
Finally, the device allows to measure the recommended level in each class and now serves to monitor whether these limits are respected daily. Although there are variations, all limits minimally respect the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance of 50 dB.
From one STEM project to greater care of the other
For the teacher, this type of project raises awareness about the impact that actions have on another person.
I knew that they managed the content well, but for me, the most enriching thing is that the students went to university with life skills that this project gave them, the teacher says proudly.
Among the skills developed during this period, the teacher highlights that the Solve for Tomorrow tutoring helped improve the team’s communication skills, such as preparing a pitch (presentation to demonstrate an idea).
For a less noisy world
Seekers of Silence does not end at Solve for Tomorrow. The students and the teacher are taking a Data Analysis course in Python (a high-level programming language) to continue improving the tool and plan to publish a web page soon. In addition, they are looking for alliances to continue implementing the initiative in other locations. “We are interested in expanding the project and we have been contacted by various schools, not only in the Valparaíso region but also from other locations in the country,” he reveals.
For the teacher, the project is capable of being easily reproduced in other schools, because it is low-cost and uses relatively simple technology. “I think it can also be extrapolated to different areas, such as work offices, the gym and waiting rooms. The impact it has is tremendous. The coexistence of the community in general can improve,” he adds. At school, the reaction of the teachers and officials was extraordinary. “Moms who had children with ASD told me that these students had to leave class at least twice a week due to the level of noise pollution and that this device could change the lives of the students if it were implemented from the beginning of the school year”, reinforces Carlos Zuleta.
