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Sonification Lab

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https://hdl.handle.net/1853/70670

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AltAR/table: A Platform for Plausible Auditory Augmentation

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2022-06) Weger, Marian ; Hermann, Thomas ; Höldrich, Robert

Auditory feedback from everyday interactions can be augmented to project digital information in the physical world. For that purpose, auditory augmentation modulates irrelevant aspects of already existing sounds while at the same time preserving relevant ones. A strategy for maintaining a certain level of plausibility is to metaphorically modulate the physical object itself. By mapping information to physical parameters instead of arbitrary sound parameters, it is assumed that even untrained users can draw on prior knowledge. Here we present AltAR/table, a hard- and software platform for plausible auditory augmentation of flat surfaces. It renders accurate augmentations of rectangular plates by capturing the structure-borne sound, feeding it through a physical sound model, and playing it back through the same object in real time. The implementation solves basic problems of equalization, active feedback control, spatialization, hand tracking, and low-latency signal processing. AltAR/table provides the technical foundations of object-centered auditory augmentations, for embedding sonifications into everyday objects such as tables, walls, or floors.
Direct segmented sonification of characteristic features of the data domain

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2019-06) Vickers, Paul ; Höldrich, Robert

Like audification, auditory graphs maintain the temporal relationships of data while using parameter mappings to represent the ordinate values. Such direct approaches have the advantage of presenting the data stream 'as is' without the imposed interpretations or accentuation of particular features found in indirect approaches. However, datasets can often be subdivided into short non-overlapping variable length segments that each encapsulate a discrete unit of domain-specific significant information and current direct approaches cannot represent these. We present Direct Segmented Sonification (DSSon) for highlighting the segments' data distributions as individual sonic events. Using domain knowledge DSSon presents segments as discrete auditory gestalts while retaining the overall temporal regime and relationships of the dataset. The method's structural decoupling from the sound stream's formation means playback speed is independent of the individual sonic event durations, thereby offering highly flexible time compression/stretching to allow zooming into or out of the data. DSSon displays high directness, letting the data 'speak' for themselves.
Real-time auditory contrast enhancement

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2019-06) Weger, Marian ; Hermann, Thomas ; Höldrich, Robert

Every day, we rely on the information that is encoded in the auditory feedback of our physical interactions. With the goal to perceptually enhance those sound characteristics that are relevant to us - especially within professional practices such as percussion and auscultation - we introduce the method of real-time Auditory Contrast Enhancement (ACE). It is derived from algorithms for speech enhancement as well as from the remarkable sound processing mechanisms of our ears. ACE is achieved by individual sharpening of spectral and temporal structures contained in a sound while maintaining its natural gestalt. With regard to the targeted real-time applications, the proposed method is designed for low latency. As the discussed examples illustrate, it is able to significantly enhance spectral and temporal contrast.
Recognizability and perceived urgency of bicycle bells

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018-06) Frohmann, Lisa ; Weger, Marian ; Höldrich, Robert

Raising awareness about how alarm sounds are perceived and evaluated by an individual in traffic scenery is important for developing new alarm designs, as well as for improving existing ones. Bearing a positive contribution to road safety, cyclists and pedestrians especially can benefit from appropriate alarming bell and horn sounds. Primarily, the alarm signal should evoke a precise idea of what is the source of the warning and the desired reaction to it. Furthermore, it should not be masked by other noises thus going undetected by the ear. Finally, an appropriate warning signal should transmit the urgency of a given situation, while at the same time, it should not cause other road users and pedestrians to startle. In two listening experiments, we examined the perception of commonly available bicycle bells and horns. Average typicality or recognizability as a bicycle bell among other everyday sounds has been investigated through a free identification task. In a second experiment, we tested perceived urgency of the warning sounds in relation to traffic noise. This article further provides a survey on non-verbal alarm design, as well as an analysis of acoustic properties of common bicycle bells and horns. Consequently, a linear regression model presents the relationship between named properties and perceived urgency. It is our intention to give an insight into the often unattended but important issue of the perception of auditory warning sounds in our everyday acoustic environment.
Plausible auditory augmentation of physical interaction

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018-06) Weger, Marian ; Herrmann, Thomas ; Höldrich, Robert

Interactions with physical objects usually evoke sounds, i.e., auditory feedback that depends on the interacting objects (e.g., table, hand, or pencil) and interaction type (e.g., tapping or scratching). The continuous real-time adaptation of sound during interaction enables the manipulation/refinement of perceived characteristics (size, material) of physical objects. Furthermore, when controlled by unrelated external data, the resulting ambient sonifications can keep users aware of changing data. This article introduces the concept of plausibility to the topic of auditory augmentations of physical interactions, aiming at providing an experimentation platform for investigating surface-based physical interactions, understanding relevant acoustic cues, redefining these via auditory augmentation / blended sonification and particularly to empirically measure the plausibility limits of such auditory augmentations. Besides conceptual contributions along the trade-off between plausibility and usability, a practical experimentation system is introduced, together with a very first qualitative pilot study.
Augmentation of an institute’s kitchen: An ambient auditory display of electric power consumption

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018-06) Groß-Vogt, Katharina ; Weger, Marian ; Höldrich, Robert ; Hermann, Thomas ; Bovermann, Till ; Reichmann, Stefan

Efficient feedback on energy consumption is regarded as one step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Sonification is very apt to convey such information continuously in an ambient and effective way. This paper presents a pilot system for sonifying the electric power consumption of an institute’s kitchen. The reverberation of the kitchen is changed depending on the actual consumption and its difference to a weekly baseline. If the actual consumption is low, it is mapped to a plausible kitchen reverberation. If it is high compared to the baseline, the reverberation becomes unnatural. Evaluating the system gave insights on perceptibility and acceptance of auditory augmentation in a semi-home context.
The SysSon platform: A computer music perspective of sonification

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-07) Rutz, Hanns Holger ; Vogt, Katharina ; Höldrich, Robert

We introduce SysSon, a platform for the development and application of sonification. SysSon aims to be an integrative system that serves different types of users, from domain scientists to sonification researchers to composers and sound artists. It therefore has an open nature capable of addressing different usage scenarios. We have used SysSon both in workshops with climatologists and sonification researchers and as the engine to run a real-time sound installation based on climate data. The paper outlines the architecture and design decisions made, showing how a sonification system can be conceived as a collection of specialised abstractions that sit atop a general computer music environment. We report on our experience with SysSon so far and make suggestions about future improvements.
Observations on an interdisciplinary design process using a sonification framework

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-07) Goudarzi, Visda ; Vogt, Katharina ; Höldrich, Robert

In sonification of scientific data, designers know very little about the domain science and domain scientists are not familiar with the sonification methodology. The knowledge about the domain science is not given, but evolved during the problem-solving process. We discuss design challenges in auditory display design regarding user-centerdness and introduce an approach to involve domain scientists throughout a sonification design. We explore this within a workshop in which sonification experts, domain experts, and programmers worked together to better understand and solve problems collaboratively. The sonification framework that is used during the workshops is briefly described and the workshop process and how each group worked together during the workshop sessions is examined. Participants worked on pre-defined and exploratory tasks to sonify climate data. Resulting sonification prototypes and workshop sessions are documented on a wiki and could be used as a starting point for future sonification procedures. Furthermore, the participants grasped each others’ domains; climate scientists especially became more open to use auditory display and sonification as a tool in their data mining tasks.
Augmented audification

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-07) Höldrich, Robert ; Vogt, Katharina

We present a sonification method that blends between audification and auditory graphs which we call ”Augmented Audification”. It is based on a combination of single-side-band modulation and a pitch modulation of the original data stream. Benefits include the flexible adjustment of the sonification’s frequency range to the human hearing range and the possibility to interactively zoom into the data set at any scale. The paper introduces the method by three examples: deterministic harmonic complexes, random signal analysis, and seismology.
Acoustic interface for tremor analysis

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2012-06) Pirrò, David ; Wankhammer, Alexander ; Schwingenschuh, Petra ; Höldrich, Robert ; Sontacchi, Alois

In this paper we introduce new methods for real-time acoustical tremor diagnosis. We outline the problems of tremor diagnosis in the clinical context and discuss how sonification can complement and expand the existing tools neurologists have at their disposal. Based on three preliminary sonification experiments upon recorded tremor movement data, we show how temporal as well as spectral characteristics of a tremor can be made audible in realtime. Our first observations indicate that differences among tremor types can be made recognizable via sonification. Therefore, we suggest that the proposed methods could allow for the formulation of more confident diagnoses. At the end of the paper, we will also shortly outline the central topics of future research.