The Audible Artefact

Abstract

This paper introduces two ongoing projects where audio augmented reality is implemented as a means of engaging museum and gallery visitors with audio archive material and associated objects, artworks and artefacts. It outlines some of the issues surrounding the presentation and engagement with sound based material within the context of the cultural institution, discusses some previous and related work on approaches to the cultural application of audio augmented reality, and describes the research approach and methodology currently engaged with in developing an increased understanding in this area. Additionally, it discusses the project within the context of related cultural and sound studies literature, presents some initial conclusions as a result of a practice-based approach, and outlines the next steps for the project.

Locate your soundscape: interacting with the acoustic environment

“…As previously mentioned, visitors' experience can be enriched by the recreation of sounds that augment the actual environment with evocative or informative cues. Audio augmented reality can be used to let visitors hear sounds as if produced by old playback machinery, bridging the gap between audio and artifact archives [9]. War-related sounds have been used to attract visitors to given locations and evoke impressions in a site with the remnants of trenches and fortified camps from World War I [25].…”