Imagine being able to see sound. That’s precisely the premise behind assistive technology software, Lumisonic, a system that translates sound waves into real-time dynamic circles that appear on display for the hearing impaired. It is designed to elicit responses quickly in the brain by taking sound and doing a frequency analysis.
“There are lots of different types of software to do this . . . but what I’m interested in and what we wanted to do was create something that gave you reliable information so whenever you put a sound in, you got the same image each time,” Dr. Mick Grierson explained to BBC News. Grierson, from Goldsmith’s, University of London, developed Lumisonic with the backing of the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Sonic Arts Network.
Lumisonic can translate computer-generated noises as well as noise from a microphone. In the latter case, the visual display indicates how loud the voice is speaking as well as the texture and quality of the voice. For instance, when the pitch rises, the rings expand. If the pitch of the sound or voice is lowered, the rings contract to indicate the deepened decibels, which is helpful for the hearing impaired to be able to determine pitches and tones.
Music for the Deaf
The development of Lumisonic benefited from the help of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, whose musicians had experience making music with the deaf. When they had performed with children with hearing impairments at Whitefield’s School in East London, the children played instruments to see how their actions influenced the circles appearing on monitors.
Fun for Hearing Impaired Children
When deaf children at Frank Barnes School in North London tested Lumisonic, they sang and clapped within only a few minutes of beginning to experiment with the software. One of them, who used a Wii controller to change the appearance of the circles on his laptop, explained afterward, “I was trying to create different sized circles—big then small—I wanted to see some crazy circles. I then tried to make them all the same size.”
“I could relate the circles to the vibrations from the loudspeakers,” said another Frank Barnes School student. “Normally, when I watch TV, I can’t see sound waves. So it’s really interesting—especially since I have a hearing aid to help.
Important for Speech Rehabilitation
The breakthroughs the children made as they interacted with the assistive technology software were important because they confirm Lumisonic’s potential for helping in speech rehabilitation and helping people understand the sounds they are making. “I was really pleased that it seemed that it gave the kids—especially the smaller ones who I didn’t really expect to respond—some sort of indication or way of understanding their own sound-making.
That was really good to see,” Dr. Grierson said of the Frank Barnes School tests. Included alongside the sound translating software are tools that help users record and edit sound.
Lumisonic is available from Sonic Arts Network, which enables people to engage with the art of sound in groundbreaking, exciting, and innovative ways. Lumisonic is compatible with a Wii, which can be used to manipulate music or sound through movement. Learn more at sonicartsnetwork.org.
See Related Articles
See Suzanne Robitaille Helps Others Find Success Through Assistive Technology to learn how a journalist is promoting assistive technology for the deaf and hearing impaired.
For more information on assistive technology and cochlear implants for deaf or hearing impaired persons, see Cochlear Implants: Bringing Sound to the Soundless.
