Sound people speak to Star people. A sound experts perspective on astronomy sonification projects

TL;DR

This paper explores the intersection of sound design and astronomy through a collaborative project, aiming to improve data sonification methods by integrating sound experts' insights and fostering interdisciplinary understanding.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of astronomical data sonification from a sound expert perspective, highlighting current tools, limitations, and future improvement avenues.

Findings

Diverse tools and uses for astronomical data sonification identified

Current limitations include accessibility and perceptual challenges

Potential improvements involve methodological and creative enhancements

Abstract

The Audible Universe project aims at making dialogue between two scientific domains investigating two distinct research objects, briefly said, Stars and Sound. It has been instantiated within a collaborative workshop that started to mutually acculturate both communities, by sharing and transmitting respective knowledge, skills and practices. One main outcome of this exchange was a global view on the astronomical data sonification paradigm that allowed to observe either the diversity of tools, uses and users (including visually-impaired people), but also the current limitations and potential ways of improvement. From this perspective, the current paper presents basic elements gathered and contextualised by sound experts in their respective fields (sound perception / cognition, sound design, psychoacoustics, experimental psychology), in order to anchor sonification for astronomy in a more well-informed, methodological and creative process.