Audiocentric Interface Design: A Building Blocks Approach

An important current movement in computing is towards mobile and ubiquitous interaction. A major research field within mobile and ubiquitous computing is minimal attention interfaces. At present however, there is little in the way of validated heuristics to inform the design and implementation of minimal attention user interfaces. A paradigmatic example of a challenging mobile interaction task is physical navigation. A potentially promising solution to the problem of providing a minimal attention interface for physical navigation tasks is spatial audio. The initial focus of this research is to investigate the use of spatial audio as an element in a minimal attention interface to provide usable and meaningful navigation cues in one or more common navigational contexts. The aims of this project are to highlight problems, identify and analyse issues and evaluate potential solutions. Finally, we intend to formulate guidelines for the use of spatial audio in the wider context of minimal ...

Persuasive, 2000

keywords: interface design, 3D audio, delay affordance, usability testing Our work addresses problem of (visual) clutter in mobile device interfaces. The solution we propose involves the translation of techniques -from the graphical to the audio domain -for exploiting space in information representation. This article presents an illustrative example in the form of a spatialized audio progress bar. In usability tests, participants performed background monitoring tasks significantly more accurately using this spatialized audio (vs. a conventional visual) progress bar. Moreover, their performance in a simultaneously running, visually demanding foreground task was significantly improved in the eyes-free monitoring condition. These results have important implications for the design of multi-tasking interfaces for mobile devices.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014

In the age of digital devices, text, image, sound, interactivity, blend themselves into a symbiotic and unique media, presenting a multifaceted specie of language called hypermedia. However, since many years ago, we have seen a notable emphasis on visual communication´s interfaces, and due to its limitations, products and services in design can often present inconsistencies when other sensory properties are relevant, as in the case of sound information. This over-emphasis on visual displays has constrained the development of interactive systems that are capable of making better use of the auditory modality. Recognizing the HCI as an integrating element of media and visual, sound and tactile metaphors, this study will demonstrate investigations that contextualize the role of sound into interactive environments by proposing an overview for the term interactive sound, suggesting its classification into direct-interactive and indirect-adaptative sounds, and pointing out its meanings and applications.

Personal Technologies, 2000

keywords: interface design, 3D audio, delay affordance, usability testing Our work addresses problem of (visual) clutter in mobile device interfaces. The solution we propose involves the translation of techniques -from the graphical to the audio domain -for exploiting space in information representation. This article presents an illustrative example in the form of a spatialized audio progress bar. In usability tests, participants performed background monitoring tasks significantly more accurately using this spatialized audio (vs. a conventional visual) progress bar. Moreover, their performance in a simultaneously running, visually demanding foreground task was significantly improved in the eyes-free monitoring condition. These results have important implications for the design of multi-tasking interfaces for mobile devices.

This chapter analyzes the unique problems posed by the use of computers by producers and performers of music as far as Human Computer Interaction (HCI) principles, methodologies and directives are concerned. In specific it focuses on interfaces that are built on mobile devices or similar medical equipment. HCI predicates involved in the workflow of aural interaction with computer devices are presented, starting from the abstract part of neurotologic interaction, then coping with usability issues of the Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) implemented for musical scripting and concluding to a synthesis stage which produces digitized sounds that improve or supersede prototypal analog audio signals. The evaluation of HCI elements for Computer Music under the prism of usability, including hearing or ophthalmic aids, aims at the development of new communication tools, new symbolic languages and finally better mobile user interfaces.

Proceedings of the 25th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference on Augmentation, Application, Innovation, Collaboration - OzCHI '13, 2013

Pervasive and ubiquitous technologies have taken digital interfaces out of the traditional realms of computing devices and into the built environment. Increasingly, a combination of architectural, artistic and technological concerns characterise the design of new engaging experiences for people in augmented public spaces. The design of immersive interfaces represents a new chapter in HCI, as they need to address the human body as an active input mechanism, while considering cognitive and psychological implications. This paper represents an initial step in the evaluation of audio-visual aesthetic elements for the design of cuing mechanisms for events about to happen in an immersive interface, and points to initial findings regarding the utilisation of visual and sound effects as design elements in responsive environments.

Proceedings of the Conference & Workshop on …

2005

ABSTRACT The computer game has begun to establish itself within the wider entertainment industry, and has thus attracted considerable interest from more general interaction designers. However, while computer game audio has become increasingly sophisticated, it remains a discipline largely overlooked by the research community. We begin by outlining similarities between each discipline, highlighting those which we believe provide interesting opportunities for designers of auditory interfaces.

2010

Auditory interfaces offer a solution to the problem of effective eyes-free mobile interactions. However, a problem with audio, as opposed to visual displays, is dealing with multiple simultaneous outputs. Any audio interface needs to consider: 1) simultaneous versus sequential presentation of multiple audio streams, 2) 3D audio techniques to place sounds in different spatial locations versus a single point of presentation, 3) dynamic movement versus fixed locations of audio sources. We present an experiment using a divided-attention task where a continuous podcast and an audio menu compete for attention. A sequential presentation baseline assessed the impact of cognitive load, and as expected, dividing attention had a significant effect on overall performance. However, spatial audio still increased the users' ability to attend to two streams, while dynamic movement of streams led to higher perceived workload. These results will provide guidelines for designers when building eyes-free auditory interfaces for mobile applications.

1992