The Smart Audio Monitor (SAM) is a multi-purpose audio monitoring tool designed to automatically capture and record sounds in a given environment.  The application contains 3 major functions:  audio monitor, recorder, and player.  The audio monitor function  "listens" for voices and other noises by continually monitoring audio levels.  You may specify the desired audio trigger level at which an action is to occur.  Indicate one of the following actions:

 

Record audio to hard disk Play a sound (.wav) file

 

Send an e-mail Set a digital output  Send a SPI command Run a user-specified PC application

When the audio trigger level is exceeded, the recorder function is automatically activated for a pre-specified time period.  The recorder stores audio to file(s) on the hard disk for later playback by the player function.  Alternatively, instead of recording to file, SAM can play a pre-recorded sound (.wav) file.  This may be particularly useful in situations when you wish your audience to know that they are being noisy and need to settle down.  (Perfect for the parent, teacher, or presenter who needs to leave the room for a few moments and want to maintain a quiet environment in their absence.)  Whether in the home, school, office, etc., SAM has a variety of possible uses and is ideally suited for any application where autonomous audio monitoring is required:

 

Security Research Education Robotics Industrial Control Noise Control

 
1. System Requirements

The Smart Audio Monitor requires a Windows laptop or desktop PC with the following minimum capabilities:

Pentium CPU

1 MB RAM

1 MB Available Hard Disk Space

VGA Monitor

Sound-card

Microphone

Speakers

Windows 95/98/2000/XP

 

2. Features

SAM features include the following:

 

Voice-activated monitoring

Adjustable audio "trigger" level

Graphical interface including LED indicators, bar-graphs, and related controls

3 major functions including:  audio monitor, recorder, and player

Configurable sensitivity and sound detection

Selectable trigger action:  record to file or play .wav file

Configurable noise detection setting prevents "triggering" on incidental noises

Adjustable sensitivity to detect voices at a distance.

Selectable recording duration and number of recordings to perform

Timer displays elapsed recording time


 

3. Ordering

SAM is available at the following source:

    Kenneth Delahoussaye
    web: http://www.kadtronix.com
    email: sales@kadtronix.com
 

4. Installation

Before installing the application, be sure to uninstall any earlier version(s).  To start the installation process, locate and run  the self-extracting setup file (setup.exe) on the install media.

1. Activation

Activate the program by selecting:

Start Menu -> Programs -> Smart Audio Monitor

When the program begins, the main display dialog appears as shown below:

Menu Selections

You may obtain help at any time using the following menu selection:
 
 Help -> Contents...


 This opens a separate dialog window containing application descriptions and how-to information.  You may also view summary information about the application including how to contact the program creator for registration and/or help issues:
 

Help -> About...






To view and/or change configuration settings, use the following menu selection:
 

File -> Settings...
This selection activates a page containing configuration and adjustments items.  (Refer to the Settings section for an explanation of these adjustments in detail.)   To exit the application, select:
 
File -> Exit

There are 3 graphical function areas: Audio Monitor, Recorder, and Player.  Any graphical controls not currently in use remain "grayed" or disabled until the function is activated.
 
 
2. Audio Monitor

The audio monitor contains a slider that selects the desired audio trigger level.  Move the slider to the left to capture low-intensity sound levels.  Move to the right for louder, higher intensity captures.  (Also refer to the Settings section for additional adjustments.)  The audio monitor also contains a bar-graph audio meter indicating current audio levels.  To start the audio monitor, click the button labelled "Start Monitoring".








Once activated, the yellow LED indicator turns on and the audio meter becomes active.  If sound levels exceed the trigger level indicated by the slider control, then recording will begin.  (Refer to the Recorder and Settings sections for details.)
 
 

 

To stop the audio monitor and any recording in progress, click the "Stop" button.
 

 
3. Recorder

The recorder automatically records and stores audio to the hard disk when the audio monitor detects levels which exceed the specified trigger level.  When there is no activity, all controls are grayed and/or disabled as shown below:
 









When the recorder activates, the red LED indicator becomes active.  The progress bar begins to increase from left to right as the recording continues.  Once the specified duration has been reached, the recording stops and the audio monitor awaits another detection.
 









Under the progress bar are several items of information.  The timer field to the left (00:00:18) shows how much of the current file has been recorded thus far. The timer field at the right (00:00:30) shows the maximum duration of the file.  This parameter is specified in the Settings section.  The field shown in the middle of thie display (File:  2 of 6) is the file-counter and indicates the number of files which have been recorded out of  the maximum desired.  (If the file-counter reaches the maximum, no further recordings will occur.)  This parameter is also specified in the Settings section.   The "File:" field at the bottom indicates the file name being recorded.  The file names are derived from a time and date stamp as shown below:
 

_MMMdd_hhmmss.wav


The designations have the following meanings:
 

MMM = 3-character month abbreviation (e.g., "Feb")
dd  = 2-digit day of the month (01 to 31)
hh = 2-digit hour (00 to 23)
mm= 2-digit minute (00 to 59)
ss = 2-digit second (00 to 59)
wav = file extension indicating an audio wave file

 
4. Player

The audio player allows you to play any previously recorded file.  Initially, the player is inactive and all graphical controls are grayed and/or disabled as shown:







There are two button selections for playing a file.  Use the "Play" button to play the last recorded (i.e., most recent) file.  Use the "Browse..." button to choose a different file.  Then click "Play" to play this selection.
 
 








When the player activates, the green LED indicator becomes active.  The progress bar begins to increase from left to right as the file is played.  When the entire file has completed, the player stops and returns to its inactive state.
 
 

Use the following menu selection to view the "Settings" page:
 

File -> Settings...

This page contains a number of configurable parameters as shown below:
 
 

1. Action

The action region allows you to specify the action to take when the audio level exceeds the trigger value.  If you wish to capture recorded audio to the hard disk, click the "Record" check box.  Specify the maximum number of files to record and the duration of each.  (These settings are useful for conserving disk space.)  If, instead, you desire to play a sound (.wav) file when the trigger level is exceeded, click the "Play Sound File" check box.  Use the "Browse" button to specify the file.  Use the "Preview" button to listen to the sound.  Once configured, the selected .wav file will play each time the trigger occurs.
 

2. Configure Input and Output Audio

These sections allow you to configure microphone input and speaker output.
 
 

To view microphone properties, click the "Input..." button.  A display will appear resembling the following:
 










Make sure the microphone is selected as shown above.  Also ensure that its volume level slider is in the middle to upper portion of its range.
You will also need to adjust the speaker level for playing recorded audio or if you have selected Play Sound File for triggering purposes.  To adjust the speaker output volume, click the "Output..." button.
 









Adjust the "Volume Control" slider to the desired level and ensure it is not muted.

3. Configure Noise Detection

Use this adjustment to help filter incidental, short-duration sounds which should not be captured.  Raise the slider level to ignore short-duration sounds.  Lower it to detect these sounds.
 









Note:  For proper audio triggering. you should configure noise detection and sensitivity.  You may find it necessary to make several adjustments over time before attaining the right detection level for your environment.
 
 

4. Configure Sensitivity

Use this adjustment to modify input sensitivity.  Adjust higher if the microphone is far from the sound source.  Adjust lower otherwise.  (Before adjusting sensitivity, you should first configure the input.)
 






Note:  For proper audio triggering. you should configure noise detection and sensitivity.  You may find it necessary to make several adjustments over time before attaining the right detection level for your situation.
 
 
5. Save Settings

When you have completed settings adjustments, click "OK" to store the settings and close the display.  If you decide not to store your settings, click "Cancel".  The dialog window will be closed and you will be returned to the main display.

Special thanks to the following individuals for their creative contributions to this application:

    Ernest Laurentin
    Matt Weagle
 
 

By purchasing this product, you, the customer agree to terms of licensing and warranty.  Please read the following sections carefully.