Auditory display
Encyclopedia
Auditory display is the use of sound to communicate information from a computer to the user..
The primary forum for exploring these techniques is the International Community for Auditory Display
(ICAD).
) as well as sighted users who are using their eyes for other tasks. A rapid detection of acoustic signals and the omnidirectional feature of the sense of hearing can contribute to the effectiveness of an auditory display even when vision is available.
On the other hand, sound output may interfere with other acoustic signals, such as speech communication. This complicates the use of auditory displays for certain applications. Furthermore, acoustic output may be annoying or distracting.
The primary forum for exploring these techniques is the International Community for Auditory Display
International Community for Auditory Display
The International Community for Auditory Display , founded in 1992, provides an annual conference for all research related to auditory display, the use of sound to display information. ICAD has given a home to auditory display researchers, who come from many different disciplines, through its...
(ICAD).
Types of auditory display
- AudificationAudificationAudification is an auditory display technique for representing a sequence of data values as sound. An audification does this by interpreting the data sequence, usually a time series, as an audio waveform: input data is mapped to sound pressure levels...
: a technique for listening to a large time seriesTime seriesIn statistics, signal processing, econometrics and mathematical finance, a time series is a sequence of data points, measured typically at successive times spaced at uniform time intervals. Examples of time series are the daily closing value of the Dow Jones index or the annual flow volume of the...
by mapping values directly to sound pressureSound pressureSound pressure or acoustic pressure is the local pressure deviation from the ambient atmospheric pressure caused by a sound wave. Sound pressure can be measured using a microphone in air and a hydrophone in water...
levels - SonificationSonificationSonification, a form of auditory display, is the use of non-speech audio to convey information or perceptualize data. Auditory perception has high temporal and pressure resolution, which opens up possibilities for it as an alternative or complement to visualization techniques.For example, the...
: the use of non-speech audio to convey information or perceptualize data - EarconEarconAn earcon is a brief, distinctive sound used to represent a specific event or convey other information. Earcons are a common feature of computer operating systems and applications, ranging from beeping when an error occurs to the customizable sound schemes of Windows 7 that indicate startup,...
s / auditory icons: brief, distinctive sounds used to represent a specific event or convey other information - Speech synthesisSpeech synthesisSpeech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
: the artificial production of human speech
Benefits and limitations
Auditory display enables eyes-free usage for blind users (via a screen readerScreen reader
A screen reader is a software application that attempts to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the screen . This interpretation is then re-presented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons, or a Braille output device...
) as well as sighted users who are using their eyes for other tasks. A rapid detection of acoustic signals and the omnidirectional feature of the sense of hearing can contribute to the effectiveness of an auditory display even when vision is available.
On the other hand, sound output may interfere with other acoustic signals, such as speech communication. This complicates the use of auditory displays for certain applications. Furthermore, acoustic output may be annoying or distracting.