Adding Rigor to Acoustic Experiences in Virtual Worlds

摘要

Maps are the method of choice for communicating noise information. But their interpretation can pose problems for community decisionmakers. Multiple strategies have beenemployed to improve on conventional “flat” maps. Color gradients illustrate the diffusion of noise energy. Map locations can be linked to acoustic examples, as with the Interactive Sound Information System (ISIS) developed by the author. With increasing computing power and refinement of noiseestimation technologies it is possible to create virtual spaces populated with animated noise sources. Such dramatic demonstration technologies raise interesting questions about the usefulness of more traditional ways of presenting noise information. The standard metrics represent different dimensions of a sound; its energy level, its duration, and its frequency content. A person who knows the metricscan look at the numbers and conceptualize the noise experience. However, if we can capture and replicate the experience itself, are not the traditional metrics made less important? But although the new media presentations are certainly more dramatic and accessible than the numbers, the sound and visual experiences need to be formalized in ways that make them rigorous and repeatable. The paper explores the issues involved in accomplishing this and suggests possible directions for resolution.