Cycle of conferences Sound and Health: The challenge of sound in our online meetings

Third conference on 04 October: we will be welcoming Christian Hugonnet, an acoustics engineer who has done a great deal to raise public awareness of the role of sound in our lives, notably by creating the Semaine du Son, a programme of international conferences to raise awareness of this issue. He will be addressing the technical aspects of the dossier.

Link to the conference: https://u4unity.webex.com/meet/jps

The Covid-19 pandemic has, in a relatively short space of time, brought about a lasting transformation in the way businesses, government departments and international organisations work, with the European institutions being no exception. Teleconferencing and hybrid meetings have become part of our daily lives, and their role seems to be growing all the time. Although these technologies have been in use for many years now, the sudden acceleration in their use has not allowed us to learn about good practice and the risks associated with these tools. Added to this is the fact that the Commission’s restrictive buildings policy has resulted in a sometimes vague framework for teleworking, which can lead to abuses and even unhappiness among our colleagues.

The most exposed users, such as interpreters, have noticed that the sound transmitted via teleconferencing platforms has an influence on our hearing, and even on our health in general. The consequences of prolonged and regular use of these tools are now the subject of scientific studies, the conclusions of which will be decisive in organising teleworking as effectively as possible.

This is why we are organising a series of conferences with international experts in the field of sound.