The Sonified Fantasy Sports project has been exploring various ways to add sounds to online (web or mobile apps) fantasy sports in an attempt to make a more immersive user experience while also adding to the accessibility of fantasy sports for visually impaired or print disabled users. After identifying information needs and various strategies employed by users (who ranged from beginners to power users) we were able to identify a hierarchy in which to present information about my team and players using sound. The ongoing investigation is exploring additional ways to employ optimal soundscapes that will result in the most seamlessly integrated audio-visual experience while offering as much accessibility as possible.
The Georgia Tech Sonification Lab is an interdisciplinary research group based in the School of Psychology and theSchool of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. Under the direction of Prof. Bruce Walker, the Sonification Lab focuses on the development and evaluation of auditory and multimodal interfaces, and the cognitive, psychophysical and practical aspects of auditory displays, paying particular attention to sonification. Special consideration is paid to Human Factors in the display of information in "complex task environments," such as the human-computer interfaces in cockpits, nuclear powerplants, in-vehicle infotainment displays, and in the space program.
[Random Image of Auditory Interface] Since we specialize in multimodal and auditory interfaces, we often work with people who cannot look at, or cannot see, traditional visual displays. This means we work on a lot of assistive technologies, especially for people with vision impairments. We study ways to enhance wayfinding and mobility, math and science education, entertainment, art, music, and participation in informal learning environments like zoos and aquariums.
The Lab includes students and researchers from all backgrounds, including psychology, computing, HCI, music, engineering, and architecture. Our research projects are collaborative efforts, often including empirical (lab) studies, software and hardware development, field studies, usabilty investigations, and focus group studies.
