A collaboration of artists, designers, and neuroscientists, Data Stethoscope is a multimodal data sonification and visualization of function MRI brain scans of individuals 20 to 80 years old. The desktop application allows this brain data to be explored sonically. This project, funded by DARPA, gives neuroscientists a way to “hear” how connections change in the aging brain.
1. Listening to Data
LISTENING TO DATA (Sonification) is the new tool needed for analyzing the ever growing data cloud. Our work is perfecting the many ways to make better decisions by not just visualizing, but simply LISTENING TO DATA. The existing data tools rely almost exclusively on flawed elaborate interactive visualization of data. Data Science, AI and Big Data industries are only developing a wide variety of data visualization tools to allow rapid and accurate decision making. The time to bring in at least one more, our richest sense in many ways, LISTENING TO DATA into the mainstream!
2. The weakness of the visual
Although the human eye is a sophisticated tool, it can also be easily tricked. Consider some of these weaknesses associated with visual inspection:
- Unreliability – Browse through a set of optical illusions to get a sense of just how unreliable the human eye can be.
- Imprecision – The human eye is not capable of making precise measurements, especially on a very small scale.
3. Breakthroughs: The Data Stethoscope Project
The Data Stethoscope Project at the UTD ArtSciLab has:
- Developed a comprehensive set of audio tools for turning data to sound.
- Developed a data sonification apprenticeship program (HERMES)
- Developed training modules to learn to listen and interpret data as information
- Cognitive Testing and providing certificates of completion to 100s individuals
Traditional Sonifications have been limited to a “proof of concept” or “artistic expression” context of the 25+ year history. We prefer the term LISTENING TO DATA. We have moved beyond Sonification and are prepared to scale up the distribution of our research findings.
- LEARN (to LISTEN TO DATA )
- EXPLORE (new sound adventures)
- TEST (to find and improve on the best techniques)
3.1 Some tested USE CASES:
- DATA LISTENING Graduate Business Students have complemented and augmented visualization work with proven access to more dimensions of data at once.
- LISTEN TO DATA observing visually demanding experimental processes in real time, data listening has been proven effective.
- LISTEN TO DATA using the new techniques we have pioneered for signalling weather and traffic conditions (and more) while driving, cooking in the kitchen etc.
We have created ways to standardize sounds of various types of audio representation of data!
4. Key Partners
Our research has determined that we have Key Partners that we will be targeting in Business Analytics, Data Science and Smart Speaker Market We plan to work in these areas with these resources:
- Web based general distribution (Tableau, Javascript)
- Professional Users via dynamic notebooks (Jupyter, Custom Apps)
- Consumer Informatics via Sonic Alerts (Smart Speakers in Home and Car)
5. LET (Learning Exploring Testing)
LET us move forward with this approach which is designed and tested to assure success as the use of these new tools becomes a part of the workflow at the enterprise scale in the key industries of Business analytics, Research sector, Educational sector, and the growing Consumer “INFO sounds” market.
By focusing on LISTENING TO DATA We create the value proposition that will develop auditory interfaces to complement, augment and in some cases, replace visualization for increased efficiency, productivity in business and science workflows and beyond.