Sonification Design

While we can look-the-other-way or even close our eyes, the importance to our survival of use of omnidirectional aural awareness-even when we sleep-means we do not have ear-lids but, to avoid unnecessary distractions and the unnecessary cognitive load caused by constant awareness, our auditory system processing incoming information with psychophysical and cognitive filters. Also, closer to touch, our hearing has a more hidden, internal, intricately felt quality than does vision. On the other hand, although un-notated improvised music is full of delights, can anyone doubt the power of notation in the composition and transmission of the complex and intricate works of the classical musical traditions of the world? So, when designing methods that enable listeners to extract information from data, both with and without visual support, different approaches are necessary. An interdisciplinary, scholarly yet approachable work by a significant voice in the field of auditory design, this book will - Lead you through some salient historical examples of how non-speech sounds have been used to inform and control people since ancient times. - Comprehensively summarize the contemporary practice of Data Sonification. - Provide a detailed overview of what information is and how our auditory perceptions can be used to enhance our knowledge of the source of data. - Show the importance of the dynamic relationships between sight and hearing, cognitive load and comprehension. - Clarify the role of aesthetics in ensuring that listenability is not compromised for clarity. - Provide a mature software framework that supports the practice of data sonification design, together with a detailed discussion of some the design principles used in various examples. David Worrall is an internationally recognized composer, sound artist and interdisciplinary researcher in the field of auditory design. He is Professor of Audio Arts and Acoustics at Columbia College Chicago and the elected president of the International Community for Auditory Display (ICAD), the leading organization in the field since its inception over 25 years ago.