Listening to the world Bill Gaver Goldsmiths College University of London

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Listening to the worldBill GaverGoldsmiths
CollegeUniversity of London
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1. 19862. 2006
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1. 1986
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The SonicFinderGaver, W. W.,
(1989). The SonicFinder, a prototype interface
that uses auditory icons. Human Computer
Interaction, 4, 67 - 94.
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Auditory IconsGaver, W. W.,
(1986). Auditory icons Using sound in computer
interfaces. Human-Computer Interaction, 2,
167-177.
Sounds mapped to interface events by analogy to
everyday sound-producing events.

• e.g., selecting tapping copying filling
• iconic v. symbolic mapping
• sound effects and imaginary sources
• Auditory icons can be parameterised.
• e.g. material for type, size for size
• multiple layers of information in single sounds
• reduces repetition and annoyance

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Everyday Listening

• Musical listening the perception of the sound.
• Everyday listening the perception of the source.

• - pitch, loudness, dynamics, timbre(1)
• - view of psychoacoustics, music, technology
• auditory event perception
• size, material, interaction, force timbre(2)
• relatively unexplored
• About experience, not sounds

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J.J. Gibsons ecological approach to perception

• The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems
  (1966)
• A mechanical disturbance or dislocation is
  propagated outward from a source in accordance
  with the laws of wave action

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Everyday ListeningGaver,
W. W. (1993). What in the world do we hear? An
ecological approach to auditory source
perception. Ecological Psychology, 5 (1) 1-29.

• What in the world do we hear?
• configurations of materials interacting in an
  environment
• perceptible dimensions and attributes of sources
• approach through protocol studies simple
  physics

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Everyday ListeningGaver,
W. W. (1993). How do we hear in the world?
Explorations of ecological acoustics. Ecological
Psychology, 5(4) 285 - 313.

• How do we hear in the world?
• sound attributes that convey information
• approach through simulations and synthesis
• algorithms controlled via perceptible source
  parameters

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Auditory Icons (contd) The ARKola
ExperimentGaver, W. W., Smith, R.
B., OShea, T. (1991). Effective sounds in
complex systems The ARKola simulation. Proc.
CHI, 91.

• People collaborated remotely to run a simulated
  bottling plant
• multiple machines
• with / without sounds
• normal and error sounds
• too big to see

• Sound for collaboration
• awareness
• direct reference
• engagement
• Auditory ecology
• functional
• aesthetic

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EAR Environmental Audio Reminders
Gaver, W.W. (1991). Sound support for
collaboration. Proc. ECSCW91

• Used with EuroPARCs mediaspace
• Event notification service (Lövstrand) triggered
  sounds
• meeting murmuring gavel
• video connection door opening / closing
• image capture camera
• video scan footsteps
• rain thunder
• break request lighting match, coughing
• 100s of sounds per day, used for months
• designing inobtrusive sounds

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Auditory Icons

• Sounds mapped to interface events by analogy to
  everyday sound-producing events.
• Functions for sound
• Auditory ecologies

• iconic mapping
• parameterisation
• feedback and feedforward
• engagement
• notification and peripheral awareness
• Crafting sounds to work together
• functionally
• aesthetically

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Auditory IconsReflections

• Mapping sounds
• Beyond information
• Purpose

• mapping to music v. events
• hybrid strategies
• visiting LucasFilm
• aesthetics and expression
• what are auditory interfaces for?

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2006
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AlternativesGaver, W., and Martin,
H. (2000). Alternatives Exploring information
appliances through conceptual design proposals.
Proc. CHI00.
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Designing forEveryday LifeGaver,
W.W. (2002). Designing for Homo Ludens. I3
Magazine No. 12, June 2002.

• Off the desktop and into the world
• Designing for ludic engagement
• Conceptual appropriation

Electronic furniture and fittings Information
appliances, ubiquitous computing, etc. Avoiding
utility Curiosity, daydreaming,
exploration Allowing people to find meaning
and purpose Ambiguity as a resource
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E.g. The Drift TableGaver, W.,
Bowers, J., Boucher, A., Gellerson, H.,
Pennington, S., Schmidt, A., Steed, A., Villar,
N., and Walker, B. (2004). The Drift Table
Designing for ludic engagement. Proc. CHI04
Design Expo.
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Ludic Design
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E.g. The Video WindowGaver, W.
(2005). The Video Window Living with a ludic
system. Proc. 3AD.
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E.g. The Video WindowGaver, W.
(2005). The Video Window Living with a ludic
system. Proc. 3AD.
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E.g. The Video Window Gaver, W.
(2005). The Video Window Living with a ludic
system. Proc. 3AD.
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Designing forHomo Ludens
Electronic furniture for the Curious
Home Designing for ludic engagement Researc
h through design

• Avoiding the genre of computer
• Finding appropriate aesthetics for domestic
  devices
• Resisting the temptation to show off
• Openness, suggestion, and exaggeration
• Subverting designers narratives
• Design choices lead conceptualisation
• Field trials and observations
• People tell us what things are for

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Mixing things up
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Current plansAn Audio WindowWhat happens if
you mount a microphone outside the home?
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Current plansAn Audio Window

• Aesthetics
• sound and vision
• blurring everyday and musical listening
• challenging
• Genre - whats it for?
• music?
• information?
• curiosity?

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Roles for sound
music
decoration

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Conclusions

• Sound
• Music
• Interfaces

Its not just for music. Its not just
for listening to. Humility is a virtue.