A senior design project commissioned by Student Body President Jay Dawkins to be a noise meter for home athletic events is in its final stages of completion according to the design team.

The “Howlometer” will measure the decibels of crowd noise and help Wolfpack athletic teams secure a decisive home advantage in match-ups.

“We want to push the loudness envelope,” Dawkins said. “Nothing gets in the opposing players’ heads like 7,000 people screaming in their ears.”

James Coleman, a senior in electrical engineering, says the noise meter, which is structured to be a 10-foot replica of the Bell Tower, should be completed ahead of Design Day April 22.

“We have two weeks left before design day, and all we have to do is a little more painting and touch it up,” Coleman said. “Things have been going as planned.”

Josh Wilson, a senior in electrical engineering, said finishing the heavy work early will improve the aesthetics of the final product immensely.

“We’ll be finishing it up and making it look like a stone structure,” Wilson said. “Now we’ll have some time to take care of smaller details.”

Dawkins said the meter doesn’t look great in its current stage, but the prospect of the completed product is exciting.

“It’s like a monster assembly of wires, 2x4s and lights – kind of looks like Medusa,” Dawkins said. “But when they turn the lights on, I just start giggling with joy.”

Coleman said making the tower portable is the last structural addition the team will need to make, and plans to have it ready for painting this weekend.

“We just have to mount the wheels so we can move it around,” he said. ” We’re at the stage where we’re about to start painting.”

Coleman said the lights and

functions of the tower are all in

place, ranging from a Carolina

blue minimum

level to an N.C.

State red top level

complete with

a police siren at

the top to indicate

maximum

noise.

Coleman said

the meter can

be altered for

games where crowds aren’t at

maximum, and increased for

bigger games at large venues.

“We’re ranging it from 90 to

130 decibels,” he said. “But at

softer noise level games we can

change the range to 50 to 90. An

average conversation is around

60 decibels, so it gives fans a decent

chance to get loud.”

Coleman said the finished

product will await Dawkins’ approval,

and the outgoing student

body president

has plans for a

large unveiling

ceremony at

a game sometime

this year.

“He has a

master plan of

what he wants

done with it,”

Coleman said.

“He has a planned setting to

bring it out in front of the crowd

so everyone can see it.”

Wilson said the design team

was pleased with its progress,

and is glad to have extra time to

work on the design of the tower.

Finishing the structure early

will prevent the team – made up

largely of engineers – from having

to rush through the final

phase of the project.

“Everybody is happy with the

result,” Coleman said. “If we

don’t finish up this weekend

we’ll definitely take care of it

next weekend.”