Hearing protection device self-assessment of suitability and effectiveness to provide optimum protection in a high noise environment based on localized noise sampling and analysis

A method for assessing a hearing protection device, the method comprising:

• monitoring sounds with a hearing protection device;
• transmitting sound measurements from the hearing protection device to a portable electronic device;
• transmitting the sound measurements from the portable electronic device to a server;
• comparing, with the portable electronic device or the server, sound measurements to a look-up table;
• and
• suggesting, with the portable electronic device, one or more hearing protection devices to be worn based on a comparison between the sound measurements and the look-up table.

A system for assessing a hearing protection device, the system comprising:

• the hearing protection device;
• a portable electronic device;
• and
• a server;
• wherein the server and the portable electronic device are configured to filter sound measurements with an octave band filter bank;
• and
• wherein the portable electronic device and the server are configured to compare filtered sound measurements to a look-up table.