VR sound visualization for accessibility

This project aims to explore and propose various designs for visualizing sound within virtual environments to support sound accessibility in VR. Previous studies have attempted to incorporate visual indicators such as text, icons, and arrows into VR content to represent sound properties (e.g., volume, duration). These visualizations have shown the potential to enhance VR experiences for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Based on these findings, this project presents three sound visualization designs:

The first design is “icon”, where an icon representing the type of sound source (e.g., bird, dog) and its direction appears when a sound occurs. The icon is displayed on either the left or right side of the user’s field of view, depending on the object’s location, and moves vertically or horizontally in accordance with the object’s movement. If the sound-emitting object enters the user’s field of view, the icon shifts to appear near the object, indicating its precise position.

The second design is “distance text”, which displays text showing both the sound source type and its distance from the user when a sound occurs. Like the icon, the text appears on the left or right side of the user’s field of view and moves based on the object’s location. However, in this design, the text disappears once the object enters the user’s field of view.

The third design is “particle”, in which the sound-emitting object projects a particle effect toward the user when a sound occurs. The particles expand outward in a cone shape from the object, allowing the user to infer the source and direction of the sound based on the particle’s movement.