Many people visit Yelp before they try a new restaurant. Yelp is a great source for finding out whether the food is good. However, Yelp will likely not tell you about the noise level. Many people hate eating at restaurants that are loud because this can be stressful. Fortunately, there is a new app called IHearU that can help.
IHearU allows people to share the volume of the restaurant. This app was created by a Seattle organization called Lend an Ear. This app is free. IHearU can use your phone to measure the noise decibels of the restaurant. Kelly Tremblay is the CEO and founder of IHearU. She stated that all noise is not bad. Every restaurant will be noisy at some point. However, the app gives people a break down of the times when the restaurant is the loudest.
Tremblay is also a neuroscientist and audiologist. She stated that the point of the app is not to hurt a restaurant’s reputation. However, she wants to help people who are looking for a quieter spot to eat. She also stated that people will also be able to find out what times of the day are the noisiest.
In order to be considered ear-friendly, there are several criteria that must be met. They need to have staff members who are willing to turn down the music if they are asked. They also have to offer noise-reducing things such as sound isolation, table placements, acoustical tiles and use of absorbent materials. Additionally, IHearU users have to call it ear-friendly.
The app is only available for people who live in San Franscisco right now. However, it will be launching in New York City in April 2018. After that, it will launch in Portland, Seatte, Chicago and Atlanta. IHearU will eventually be available globally.
