Acclimatisation Audio for AR Devices: A practical approach to sound that teaches, supports, and then gets out of the way

Acclimatisation audio is a design approach for AR and hearable devices that begins with clear, slightly exaggerated cues to support early learning, then becomes progressively quieter and more subtle as the listener adapts. The system adjusts articulation, timing, spectral detail and spatial precision to provide clarity without loudness, and responds to daily variation, fatigue, masking and long-term perceptual change. It improves comfort, privacy and battery life while avoiding intrusive behaviour. The paper outlines core principles, technical elements and an example implementation path suitable for current AR audio hardware.