Thirty-First International Conference on Learning

Abstract

Data sonification is a technique that translates information into non-speech sound. While sonifications were first developed in the sciences mainly as exploratory tools, they have recently been used by environmental scientists attempting to communicate complex findings to the general public. In a complementary but largely separate trend, the technique has also been adopted by those working in environmental sound art. In this area of contemporary sound composition, artists explore natural and built environments through sound, sometimes as pure exploration but often as a form of environmental activism. Data sonifications in both scientific and artistic contexts continually resist classification as either solely scientific or artistic - this resistance reveals the strength of their interdisciplinarity. They function as effective environmentalist art and science communication because they appeal to both emotions and logic, a powerful persuasive combination in the face of environmental issues. This paper explores the technique of data sonification through the examination of case studies and demonstrate the effectiveness of sonification as an environmentalist tool.