Cindy Skach
Joe Cabrera
Reference Information
Title: Recognizing Shapes and Gestures
Using Sound as Feedback
Author: Javier Sanchez, Visiting Scholar at CCRMA, Stanford University, CA, USA
Presentation Venue: CHI 2010: 28th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems;
Date: April 10-15, 2010;
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Summary
This paper is by Javier Sanchez. The aim of his research is to use sound feedback techniques to recognize shapes and gestures. Ultimately, it will be used as a disability aid for blind people. The shapes of the objects are predefined and the user has no access to any visual information. The user interacts with the system using a universal pointer device, as a mouse or a pen tablet, or the touch screen of a mobile device. While exploring the space using the pointer device, sound is generated, which pitch and intensity vary according to a strategy. One of the main techniques used is Sonification. Sonification is the use of speechless audio to communicate information. Sonification is used in car systems to alert proximity, in medical applications, chemical application to alert the presence of an odorless substance, and finally for visually impaired people. The other is a system used is for recognition of curves. The analysis of the user motion, the curve representation and the output sound has been done using MAX/MSP, a visual programming environment specifically designed to simplify the creation of acoustic and visual applications. Javier Sanchez hopes this application will also be used for other sonification type systems.
Discussion
This paper discusses a useful application, however I would have liked to get a sense of the progress of the project. We don't get a sense of what phase the project is currently in. Is there a prototype, have disabled people been able to use it ?
This sounds like a great idea. I'm interested to see how this works with other movements or objects besides the ones mentioned. At this point is appears to have very limited application such as a sonar type system for people that are blind.
ReplyDeleteI always like reading about ideas to look at the world in a different way. I wonder if this application will be able to put sounds to specific objects rather than just shapes.
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