Advances in acoustical standards and electronics

Since the theme of the Congress at which this subject matter was first presented was Acoustical Developments for Urbanization, I would like to point out that noise problems related to urbanization date back to 4000 BC An inscribed clay tablet has been discovered which states that the Great Flood was the punishment to the people for making too much noise which disturbed the tranquillity of the gods. Community noise zoning regulations have a long history. In about 600 BC, the city of Sybaris in Southern Italy required tinsmiths and other noisy tradesmen to have their 1998 December shops outside the city walls. Several centuries later, wheeled traffic from the Roman Forum was banned because of noise and congestion; this could be one of the earliest traffic noise regulations.