Characterising Soundscape Research in Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

‘Soundscapes’ are an increasingly active topic in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and interaction design. From mapping acoustic environments through sound recordings to designing compositions as interventions, soundscapes appear as a recurring theme across a wide body of HCI research. Based on this growing interest, now is the time to explore the types of studies in which soundscapes provide a valuable lens to HCI research. In this paper, we review papers from conferences sponsored or co-sponsored by the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction in which the term ’soundscape’ occurs. We analyse a total of 235 papers to understand the role of soundscapes as a research focus and identify untapped opportunities for soundscape research within HCI. We identify two common soundscape conceptualisations: (1) Acoustic environments and (2) Compositions, and describe what characterises studies into each concept and the hybrid forms that also occur. On the basis of this, we carve out a foundation for future soundscape research in HCI as a methodological anchor to form a common ground and support this growing research interest. Finally, we offer five recommendations for further research into soundscapes within HCI.