Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Scraping sound
Scraping
Figure 8.7.
Sound icons used in Gaver's SonicFinder, adapted from [GAV 89]
Gaver thus proposed a sound interface for a computer based on the use of sound
icons: the SonicFinder [GAV 89]. Sounds accompany each action of the user, for
example the selection of a file is accompanied by the sound of an object being hit.
The properties of sounds are then associated with certain properties of the interface
(for example, the type of file selected is represented by a type of material for the
object that is hit). Figure 8.7 represents auditory icons and the associated actions in
the SonicFinder. In contrast to Brewster's example (see section 8.3.1), the
SonicFinder also informs us as to the size of the file by associating the sound to the
size of the object being hit (and therefore the frequency of the produced sound).
However, the SonicFinder does not give information regarding the hierarchical
relationships between files.
Works by Barrass [BAR 97] resulted in a spin-off of the original method to
define the parameters of an icon that was to be used to carry a given piece of
information. His method is based on large-scale surveys (via the Internet, for
example) where people are questioned regarding their experiences with the sounds
of every day life. By analyzing the results, the author proposes to define the sound
