Automatic impact sound generation for using in nonvisual interfaces

This paper describes work in progress on automatic generation of “impact sounds” based on purely physical modelling. These sounds can be used as non-speech audio presentation of objects and as interaction mechanisms to non visual interfaces. Different approaches for synthesizing impact sounds, the process of recording impact sounds and the analysis of impact sounds are introduced. A physical model for describing impact sounds “spherical objects hitting flat plates or beams” is presented. Some examples of impact sounds generated by mentioned physical model and comparison of spectra of real recorded sounds and model generated impact sounds (generated via physical modelling) are discussed. The objective of this research project (joint project University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) is to develop a concept, methods and a prototype for an audio framework. This audio framework shall describe sounds on a highly abstract semantic level. Every sound is to be described as the result of one or several interactions between one or several objects at a certain place and in a certain environment.