Article Dynamic presentation of asynchronous auditory output Share on Authors: Albert L. Papp University of California, Davis, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA University of California, Davis, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CAView Profile , Meera M. Blattner University of California, Davis, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA University of California, Davis, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CAView Profile Authors Info & Claims MULTIMEDIA '96: Proceedings of the fourth ACM international conference on MultimediaFebruary 1997 Pages 109–116https://doi.org/10.1145/244130.244154Online:01 February 1997Publication History 1citation346DownloadsMetricsTotal Citations1Total Downloads346Last 12 Months2Last 6 weeks0 Get Citation AlertsNew Citation Alert added!This alert has been successfully added and will be sent to:You will be notified whenever a record that you have chosen has been cited.To manage your alert preferences, click on the button below.Manage my AlertsNew Citation Alert!Please log in to your account Save to BinderSave to BinderCreate a New BinderNameCancelCreateExport CitationPublisher SiteGet Access

Fundamental problems will confront those who wish to take full advantage of the power of tomorrow's multimodal environments.We argue that our recently introduced concept of metawidget, when embedded within a high level, networked user interface server, can support the effective implementation of complex multimedia applications.We develop algorithms which enable a multimodal system to select the "best" combination of representations for the various "information packets" in a display at any moment.If no acceptable display can be generated from the available representations, methods are needed for creating new and useful, if not beautiful, representation(s) to resolve the impasse.A running example is provided to motivate and clarify the discussion.

The authors analyze two intertwined and fundamental issues concerning computer-to-human communication in the multimodal interface; the interplay between sound and graphics, and the role of object persistence. The observations lead to metawidgets as abstract entities capable of manifesting themselves to users as image, as sound, or as various combinations and/or sequences of the two media. The authors show examples of metawidgets in action and discuss mechanisms for choosing among alternative media for metawidget instantiation. Two experimental microworlds implemented to explore these ideas are described.>

It is shown how data visualization fits into the broader process of scientific data analysis. Scientists from several disciplines were observed while they analyzed their own data. Examination of the observations exposed process elements outside conventional image viewing. For example, analysts queried for quantitative information, made a variety of comparisons, applied math, managed data, and kept records. The characterization of scientific data analysis reveals activity beyond that traditionally supported by computer. It offers an understanding which has the potential to be applied to many future designs, and suggests specific recommendations for improving the support of this important aspect of scientific computing.>

In this article we examine earcons, which are audio messages used in the user-computer interface to provide information and feedback to the user about computer entities. (Earcons include messages and functions, as well as states and labels.) We identify some design principles that are common to both visual symbols and auditory messages, and discuss the use of representational and abstract icons and earcons. We give some examples of audio patterns that may be used to design modules for earcons, which then may be assembled into larger groupings called families. The modules are single pitches or rhythmicized sequences of pitches called motives. The families are constructed about related motives that serve to identify a family of related messages. Issues concerned with learning and remembering earcons are discussed.