2009, ongoing
Audio is a natural affiliate to physical objects: most of them already make sound, e.g., when physically interacting with each other.
A Tangible Auditory Interface links the tangible user interface paradigm with that of auditory displays. While the tangible (controlling) component focuses primarily on the user’s action, the linked auditory display supplements existing haptic and visual cues.
Therefore, the primary modality of Tangible Auditory Interfaces for information mediation is sound. Its embodiment into physically graspable objects forms an integral system for the interactive representation of abstract objects like data or algorithms as physical and graspable artefacts. Technical and logical requirements of tangible interfaces induce a certain gestalt that has to be considered when designing the corresponding auditory display design and vice versa.
Examples for Tangible Auditory Interfaces are