This is a project that was presented as a Masters Dissertation to obtain the degree of MSc Acoustics and Music Technology, by the University of Edinburgh, in 2011. The original title of the project was changed however, to simplify its presentation and due to the evolution of the ideas of the creator.
The content here published exists as a dissertation document that can be downloaded from the link below.
Spatial Sonification of Data (Dissertation)
You can use the text presented in the website, as long as notice is given.
SPATIAL SONIFICATION OF DATA
With the purpose of exploring spatial sound and the capabilities of tools such as Max/MSP, a system is created that uses Virtual Microphone Control (ViMiC) and other tailored made patches. The machine is able to read data sets in a spreadsheet-like format to extract info that can be used to control the space rendering of sound.
The aim is to craft a sonification engine that can use any type of data (scientific for instance) and control a sonic display. With this a new perception of information is presented. The doors for creativity and art exploration are open as well.
Finally, the concept of sonic volume is proposed, by means of manipulating the virtual position of this spatial sound, rapidly changing withing given coordinates, filling a “volume” in the listening space.
The content of the project is as follows:
0. CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION
2.1 SONIFICATION
2.1.1 SONIFICATION DEFINITIONS AND CONCEPTS
2.2 SPATIALIZATION
2.2.1 ACOUSTICS INVOLVED IN SPATIALIZATION
2.2.1.1 COORDINATES SYSTEM
2.2.1.2 DELAY AND GAIN
2.2.1.3 REFLECTIONS
2.2.1.4 SOUND ACQUIREMENT
2.2.2 SPATIALIZATION TECHNIQUES
2.2.2.1 JAMOMA
2.2.2.2 ViMiC
3. SONIFYING DATA WITH VIMIC AND MATLAB
3.1 SPATIALIZATION USING SPATIAL DATA
3.2 SPATIALIZATION USING MATLAB DATA
4.2 DATA READING
4.4 STREAM SELECTORS
4.5 SCALERS
4.6 VOLUME MAKER
4.7 DATA READERS
4.8 PHYSICAL LAYER
5. DISCUSSION
SOUND SCAPE project 