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ABSTRACT

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a new type of mixed-modal auditory display for enhancing auditory sensation. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not a light apparatus in which LED lights are installed in front of a speaker panel and alternating lights based on sound frequency and intensity can support user awareness of the auditory source. Five different auditory sources were used, and a user study with 20 participants revealed that all auditory sources were better recognized when listened to with the light apparatus. The music and the emergency alert auditory source were best represented by the light apparatus. The experiment showed synchronized visual and audio representation enhanced the user's auditory sensation. Findings suggest that the light apparatus could be useful when auditory signal displays are not universally applicable because people who suffer from hearing loss are unable to use them effectively. It is expected that the result of this study could contribute to the design of hearing aids, emergency alarm device/mechanisms, communication trust or other assistive technologies that seek to provide context to received data.

REFERENCES

• 1: Deatherage, B. H. Auditory and other sensory forms of information presentation. u: Van Cott H. P., R. G. Kinkade (ur.). Human Engineering Guide to Equipment Design, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1972), 123--160.
• 2: Gregory Kramer, Auditory Display: Sonification, Audification, and Auditory Interfaces, Perseus Publishing, 1993
• 3: Sharon Oviatt, Ten myths of multimodal interaction, Communications of the ACM, v.42 n.11, p.74-81, Nov. 1999 [doi>10.1145/319382.319398]
• 4: Robinson, G. S., Lee, S. E. and Casali, J. G. Auditory warnings and displays: issues relating to design and selection International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors, 12001), 791--794

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.m Miscellaneous

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors

Keywords:
auditory display, hearing aids, mixed modal interface, speaker