Vuvuzelas and their impact

Vuvuzelas are inexpensive plastic horns that became a part of the American vocabulary during the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa, though horns of the style have been employed for decades in the States. During the World Cup, spectators played these horns through the games, causing noise complaints from athletes and spectators alike, including television listeners. The vuvuzelas and similar small, plastic horns are sold in the U.S. and other countries, and there is concern that they will create a related noise problem at future sporting events. This work presents the sound pressure levels, spectra, and directivity measured in a hemianechoic chamber produced by several different vuvuzelas, one at a time. Furthermore, a model is developed to predict noise levels within the stands and on the playing field assuming type- and temporal-mixes of the horns.