The Design and Formalization of an Embodied Soundscape Sonification Framework

This paper explores the design, evaluation, and formalisation of a framework for the creation of soundscape sonifications: data-to-sound mappings which make use of sounds recorded from real-world sources to communicate information to a listener. This approach is informed by design principles from the field of embodied cognitive science. It opens with a consideration of the relationship between soundscapes, sonification, and embodied cognition design principles. Four approaches to soundscape sonification are presented and evaluated. Evaluation results are presented and analysed before the paper closes with a discussion of the findings and a formalisation of the most effective candidate framework. The article shows how embodied cognition principles can be applied to the design of communicatively effective soundscape sonifications with the takeaway point for researchers being the formalisation of an “Embodied Soundscape Sonification Framework” as a guide to the design of effective soundscape sonifications.