Sonic Intangibles

Overview

This project seeks to unlock the full potential of sonification — a method of representing data through sound — for interdisciplinary research and communication. Sonification involves using computer-generated sounds to convey information, as a Geiger counter does for radioactivity. Visualisation expert Robert Kosara wrote ‘[s]onification is not visualization for the ears, it follows completely different rules’, and this makes it so interesting and challenging to do well. Sonification lets us select data that we wish to explore or monitor and attach sounds to it, thus bringing the intangible, such as distant galaxies, computer network traffic, the earth’s magnetosphere, or the quantum states of materials into our audible experience. The project challenges the prevalent visual dominance in our society’s understanding of knowledge.

The Challenge

Despite claims of sonification being inherently interdisciplinary, current practices are often limited to single disciplines and lack consideration of how design decisions affect its effectiveness. There are siloed disciplinary attitudes, including attempts to restrict sonification to a purely scientific method, excluding potential contributions from artists. In addition, scientists can be sceptical of the subjective associations of musical listening associated with sound, hindering sonification’s development.

Aims & Objectives

The overarching goal is to break down these barriers and establish sonification as a truly interdisciplinary practice, an interdisicpline, that can be widely utilised for exploring data, representing intangibles, and providing new embodied experiences. To achieve this we will:

1. Develop an interdisciplinary framework for sonification that overcomes existing barriers and disciplinary scepticisms.
2. Co-design sonifications of challenging-to-represent phenomena with research participants using interdisciplinary approaches.
3. Disseminate resources and best practices widely to increase the utility of sonification across disciplines.
4. Showcase sonification’s benefits for education and outreach, especially targeting diverse audiences.

Summary

In summary, the project seeks to redefine how we perceive and communicate data by harnessing the power of sonification. By breaking down disciplinary barriers, engaging diverse demographics, and promoting public awareness, the team aims to establish sonification as an innovative interdiscipline with broad applications in research, education, and public engagement.