Auditory Graphs Are Not the “Killer App” of Sonification,But They Work

Abstract

The search for the elusive “killer app” of sonification has been a recurring theme in sonification research. In this comment, I argue that the killer-app criterion of success stems from interdisciplinary tensions about how to evaluate sonifications. Using auditory graphs as an example, I argue that the auditory display community has produced successful examples of sonic information design that accomplish the human factors goal of improving human interactions with systems. Still, barriers to using sonifications in interfaces remain, and reducing those barriers could result in more widespread use of audio in systems.

Keywords

perception cognitive ergonomics auditory displays sonification controls and displays interface design multimodal displays HCI computer systems

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