[Paper] Image Sonification System Based on Auditory Icons and Stereophonic Presentation Considering Image Scenes and Human Action

Abstract

In this paper, we develop an automatic image sonification system using auditory icons and their stereophonic presentation. We evaluated the effects of scene sounds and action sounds on the understanding of the scene and the sense of presence. The results showed that the scene sounds contributed to the understanding of the scene and the sense of presence and that action sounds also improved the sense of presence. On the other hand, it was confirmed that object sounds alone can convey scene information in images and have a high index of sense of presence. Our sonification system is expected to provide not only a more immersive experience for sighted people through images but also an opportunity for people with visual impairments to share the experience through social networking services (SNSs).