UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
Conceptual Modeling and Data
Mapping Tools
In SoniPy, information mapping is divided into separate cognitive and
psychoacoustic stages. The cognitive stage involves the design of
"sound schemas" with semiotics, metaphors and metonyms relating to the
task, and aesthetic and compositional aspects relating to genre,
culture and palette. Decisions have to be made about functionality,
aesthetics, context, learnability, expressiveness, and device
characteristics. These decisions are typically draw from existing
knowledge and theories from relevant sciences, arts and design. The
consequences of these compounding decisions are difficult to predict
empirically: one of the reasons why sonification is currently more of
an heuristic art than a science Nevertheless, as different conceptual
models are developed, some based in cognition, others culturally
determined, they can be integrated into SoniPy using the wrapping
techniques outlined.
In development: Interface to
the TaDa
Method and Earbenders
database
One example is Stephen Barrass' TaDa method; a design approach to
sonification that provides a systematic user-centred process to address
the multitude of decisions required to design a sonification TaDa
starts from a description of a use case scenario, and an analysis of
the user's task, and the characteristics of the data. This analysis
informs the specification of the information requirements of the
sonification.
We envisage that
SoniPy's support for the TaDa method will be through a python-based GUI
that captures a user scenario and provides standard TaDa fields for
analysis. This GUI is connected using the SDN to a mySQL database that
contains about 200 stories about everyday listening experiences,
analysed using the TaDa data-type fields. This database, called Earbenders,
is a casebased tool for looking up "sound schemas" at the cognitive
design stage.
In future, a python
interface to the SonificationDesignPatterns wiki could be developed as
an
alternative Pattern Language approach for cognitive level design.
References
S. Barrass. "TaDa! Demonstrations of Auditory Information Design", in Proceedings
of the Third International Conference Auditory Display ICAD'96,
Xerox PARC, Palo Alto, California. 1996.
S. Barrass. "EarBenders: Using Stories About Listening to Design
Auditory Interfaces" in Proceedings
of the First
Asia-Pacific Conference on Human Computer Interaction APCHI'96,
Information Technology Institute, Singapore. 1996.
S. Barrass. "Sonification from a Design Perspective", Invited Keynote,
in Proceedings of the Ninth
International Conference on Auditory Display, ICAD 2003,
Boston USA. 2003.
Tools are currently
being collected. Other suggestions and/or contributions are most
welcome: Just click through to the FORUM and let us know what you're
thinking or contact David via sonipy_at_avatar_dot_com_dot_au.
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