Paper reports the results of an experiment where sound is used to keep social distance.

What is it about?

The paper investigates using sound for influencing an individual's routing decisions while walking from one point to another by introducing invisible obstacles on the way. The sounds are designed based on successful examples from guidance/navigation literature and the social-distance measure is used as a case study. The results show that it is possible to use sound for guiding people in public spaces.

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Photo by Florian Schmetz on Unsplash

Photo by Florian Schmetz on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Our study focuses on using non-spatial sound reproduction via loudspeakers as a walking aid/guidance technology, which is typically presented via headphones which makes them personal and not suitable for public space guidance. Our findings show that by using uni-lateral sound reproduction we can not only accompany the visual signage in public spaces for guidance but also substitute it and make the guidance cues available for the blind.