This instructional training video demonstrates how the Eclipse Soundscapes (ES) team modified AudioMoth recording devices to make them more tactilely accessible using silicone “bump dots.”

Bump dots are small adhesive silicone markers commonly used in household settings to prevent slamming cabinet doors or provide non-slip surfaces. In accessibility contexts, they serve as tactile markers that allow individuals who are blind or have low vision (BLV) to distinguish buttons, ports, and switches by touch. This video explains how bump dots can be strategically applied to the AudioMoth device to create consistent tactile reference points for key features.

As part of its inclusive design approach, the ES team added clear bump dots of different shapes to the AudioMoth devices distributed to Data Collectors. These tactile markers helped participants identify important components, including ports and the recording switch, without relying solely on visual cues.

In addition to this modification, ES developed a structured “Bump Dots Tour” integrated into the “Get to Know Your AudioMoth” training materials on the Eclipse Soundscapes website. These instructions guided participants through the device using tactile cues, creating a multi-modal learning experience that supported both sighted and BLV participants.

Eclipse Soundscapes Data Collectors used AudioMoth devices to record full-spectrum environmental audio, known as soundscapes, for five consecutive days surrounding either the October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse or the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. Ensuring tactile accessibility supported broader participation while maintaining consistent data collection procedures across recording sites.

This video is preserved as part of the official ES Data Collector training materials to document the project’s inclusive design practices and to support transparency, reproducibility, and future reuse of Eclipse Soundscapes methodologies.

General Eclipse Soundscapes Project Information

The Eclipse Soundscapes Project (ES) was a NASA Volunteer Science project funded by NASA Science Activation that studied how solar eclipses affect life on Earth during the October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse and the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. ES revisited a historic study from the early 1900s showing that animals respond to eclipses and used modern technology and public participation to expand that research.

Eclipse Soundscapes was an enterprise of ARISA Lab, LLC and was supported by NASA award No. 80NSSC21M0008. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in materials from the project were those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Community and Portfolio Inclusion

This resource is part of the NASA Science Activation (SciAct) Eclipse 2023–24 portfolio and is indexed within the SciAct Eclipse Zenodo community to support cross-project discovery and reuse.

This resource is part of the Eclipse Soundscapes project and is indexed within the Eclipse Soundscapes Zenodo community to support project-level aggregation, documentation, and long-term reuse.

The DOI associated with this record is the authoritative citation for this resource. Community listings support aggregation and discovery but do not replace the formal DOI citation.

SciAct Portfolio Community Citation

NASA SciAct Eclipse 2023–24, Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/communities/sciact_eclipse 

Project Community Citation

Eclipse Soundscapes, Zenodo. https://zenodo.org/communities/eclipsesoundscapes