Killer Applications for an AUI

1) Airplane pilots can almost unconsciously track the ongoing status of
   many systems simultaneously, along with locations and distances of
   incoming flights (or missiles, in military applications).

2) Blind users use AUI's which are constructed by mapping parts of
   GUIs to the AUI environment.  Prominent sound sources include a
   (perhaps cached) TTS stream from whatever widget is currently in focus,
   plus tabbing-order buzzons to touch or hit for whatever application-
   internal purpose.  After you 'touch' a buzzon in AUI space, you
   hear its function and can memorize it by
   its buzz.  Then later you can 'hit' it to actually activate it.

3) Security guards can audio-track many signals at once, each mono-mic
   recording around the building or site can be piped to a stereo location in 
   headphone space and simultaneously monitored.

4) Process and system monitors can keep track of many simultaneous 
   systems' statuses.  Alarms can ping things and wake up if something is
   wrong.  Continuous signals can be used to show signal levels,
   and jitter.  E.g., factory floors, network monitoring, surgical 
   operating rooms, nurse stations. Parental monitoring of children already 
   has this in effect with little radio audio monitor devices...

5) Your computer environment can be hooked up to all the people you love
   at the same time; you can know when they come in, you can talk to 
   them at a short button click as though they are in the room with you
   and without the overhead of a telephone call dial transaction.
   Their very presence/absence can be audio-monitored.

6) Automobile drivers can monitor activity in their blind spot by 3D-audio-
   presented alarm and proximity-derived signals.

7) Music can be everywhere, random tracks cycling from CD players
   according to DJ's selections and to taste.  

8) Active-suppression silence generation will be great when the day comes
   we can do it, or perhaps it can be done with headphones already...
   Then the whole sound environment will become fabulous and refreshing.

9) Devices and services could potentially take advantage of the
   3D audio presentation facilities by representing their interface
   methods auditorily.  For example, an intelligent, audio-enhanced
   kitchen should keep track of how things are being cooked and keep
   you audio-monitoring things.  As if that doesn't happen already...

 

GNU Copyright © 1998,
Thomas C. Veatch. 
Last Modified: February 14, 1998.