PathoSonic: Performing Sound In Virtual Reality Feature Space

PathoSonic is a VR experience that enables a participant to visualize and perform a sound file based on timbre feature descriptors displayed in space. The name comes from the different paths the participant can create through their sonic explorations. The goal of this research is to leverage affordances of virtual reality technology to visualize sound through different levels of performance-based interactivity that immerses the participant's body in a spatial virtual environment. Through implementation of a multi-sensory experience, including visual aesthetics, sound, and haptic feedback, we explore inclusive approaches to sound visualization, making it more accessible to a wider audience including those with hearing, and mobility impairments. The online version of the paper can be accessed here: https://fdch.github.io/pathosonic