We propose a sound design concept that supports empathic communication between people with visual impairment (PVI) and interlocutors. The combination of sounds with short notes that repeat short notes (riff) representing the facial expressions of the interlocutor and PVI elicit synchronization and interlocking of the facial expressions between them. This synchronization fosters empathic communication between the PVI and the interlocutor. To demonstrate this concept, we conducted a participant experiment. We evaluated the auditory comfort of each riff pair generated from the facial expressions of the interlocutor and PVI. We compared the ratings of riff pairs when the facial expressions were synchronized and when they were not. The results confirmed that riff pairs with synchronized facial expressions were significantly more comfortable than those without synchronization, supporting our concept.
A: Filip Trzcinka Hunter College, City University of New York, A: Oyewole Oyekoya Hunter College, City University of New York, A: Daniel Chan Sarah Lawrence College
A: Cyrus Monteiro Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, A: Ipsita Rajasekar Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, A: Prakhar Bhargava Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, A: Anmol Srivastava Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology
A: Habin Park Hunter College, City University of New York, A: Daniel Lichtman Stockton University, A: Oyewole Oyekoya Hunter College, City University of New York
