Using sound to communicate program execution

Abstract

This paper discusses an experimental application which utilises sound (structured musical stimuli) to communicate aspects in the execution of a sorting algorithm. The musical properties investigated are the perception of variable rhythmic patterns (within a list of 13 elements communicated with a sequence of 13 notes in the Diatonic scale), the use of triads whose root position dependent on the location of the sequence within which the triad is heard, and the use of stereophony as a physical cue to assist listeners to differentiate one musical message from another. Experimental results have shown that continuous and structured sound (involving a combination of various musical properties) communicated successfully information to listeners. Some experimentally derived guidelines (combination of musical properties and the use of stereophony) for the design of auditory user interfaces are discussed.