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Sonance Research - Dynamic Sound Technologies
Mission
Statement:
Sonance Research Inc (SRI) was formed in May, 1999 to address
a need in all computing environments: the real-time delivery
of dynamic, interactive audio. This real-time sonification
will bring a new, content-rich dimension to information flow
that can improve the speed and quality of human responses
in complex situations that require decisions. (Sonification
is the audio equivalent of data visualization: the transformation
of data to sound for purposes of observation.) Instead of
mere warning beeps and whistles, properly programmed sonification
can provide instantly distilled information about how complex
data sets are changing in real time.
My Role:
This venture did not go far. In fact, it pretty much feel
flat. I co-wrote the business plan, created application mockups
and demos, and dealt with intellectual property components.
The idea still has potential... especially when you consider
dynamic sound on pdas, cell phones, and other hand/pocket
devices. Someone pick just a small part of this up... and
have fun.
iListen Product Description:
iListen will be the desktop sound solution for Sonance Research,
Inc. It will act as the multi-track ringmaster for your computer's
sound. Currently, PCs can only output one sound stream at
a time, much like a circus ringmaster introducing one act
at a time. iListen will coordinate multiple sound streams
depending on user preferences and an on-board artificial intelligence
(AI), and output the combined sound mix simultaneously and
in real-time.
This
desktop application will communicate seamlessly with the operating
system and other programs such as web browsers, multimedia
creation tools, etc. We typically think of sound as beeps
and simple alarms, music tracks, and sound effects. Other
types of sound can be related to data and the sounding of
data called "sonification." (Sonification is the audio equivalent
of data visualization: the transformation of data to sound
for purposes of observation.) By funneling all sound sources
into iListen, this software becomes a virtual mixing board.
With the sound patched into this virtual mixing board, one
can begin to create a sound environment: a mix. This is the
topmost level of control. By adjusting basic parameters such
as priority of sounds and cues, iListen will coordinate and
distribute the appropriate listening levels. The AI will keep
track of the mix. It will be on a constant vigil to manage
the sound sources, input data, and decide how data is sonified,
all while keeping the user's preferences in check.
Sound creation is a craft and not all people are sound experts.
We're making the process of working with sound accessible
and easy, providing multiple ways of interacting with and
controlling sound creation. There are several ways to access
sound on your desktop with iListen.
iListen Mockups, July 1999
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