It Takes Two (To Co-View)

Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Brewster

McGookin

et al. 2020

Self Cite

Auditory headsets capable of actively or passively intermixing both real and virtual sounds are in-part acoustically transparent. This paper explores the consequences of acoustic transparency, both on the perception of virtual audio content, given the presence of a real-world auditory backdrop, and more broadly in facilitating a wearable, personal, private, always-available soundspace. We experimentally compare passive acoustically transparent, and active noise cancelling, orientation-tracked auditory headsets across a range of content types, both indoors and outdoors for validity. Our results show differences in terms of presence, realness and externalization for select content types. Via interviews and a survey, we discuss attitudes toward acoustic transparency (e.g. being perceived as safer), the potential shifts in audio usage that might be precipitated by adoption, and reflect on how such headsets and experiences fit within the area of Mixed Reality.

Section: Could Integrate Into a Variety Of Day-to-day Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic Transparency and the Changing Soundscape of Auditory Mixed Reality

Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Brewster

McGookin

et al. 2020

Self Cite

“…• Visually-oriented synchronous experiences across multiple devices [30,40,41,66] and headsets [18]; • Visually-oriented augmentations e.g. enhancing accessibility for TV [65,74] and immersive content [37], altering the surrounding environment for immersion [6], enhancing TV commercials [11], presenting other content [11,27,28,63] and other augmentations around the display, such as rendering elements of the program in 3D, or rendering holograms of others [51]; • Augmentations delivered synchronously that are not necessarily semantically linked to the underlying TV content. For example, social TV [7] has repeatedly utilized synchronized TV experiences at-a-distance alongside additional audio communication channels to allow shared, at-a-distance TV viewing e.g.…”

Section: Augmenting Tv Audiomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…If viewers have a shared spatial audio space, we might imagine more engaging experiences being designed to take advantage of this, appropriating the TV speakers much as with the BBC Vostok-K experience [12][13][14]21]. Even prior work regarding active multi-view displays [27,28] could be re-assessed, given we can now deliver both personal private visuals and audio.…”

Section: Open Questions and Future Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Augmenting TV Viewing using Acoustically Transparent Auditory Headsets

ACM International Conference on Interactive Media Experiences

Mathis

Khamis

et al. 2020

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This paper explores how acoustically transparent auditory headsets can improve TV viewing by intermixing headset and TV audio, facilitating personal, private auditory enhancements and augmentations of TV content whilst minimizing occlusion of the sounds of reality. We evaluate the impact of synchronously mirroring select audio channels from the 5.1 mix (dialogue, environmental sounds, and the full mix), and selectively augmenting TV viewing with additional speech (e.g. Audio Description, Directors Commentary, and Alternate Language). For TV content, auditory headsets enable better spatialization and more immersive, enjoyable viewing; the intermixing of TV and headset audio creates unique listening experiences; and private augmentations offer new ways to (re)watch content with others. Finally, we reflect on how these headsets might facilitate more immersive augmented TV viewing experiences within reach of consumers.

A review of collocated multi-user TV

Williamson

Brewster

2015

Pers Ubiquit Comput

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The TV plays a central role in our homes, bringing friends and family together by providing a common reference point for live, on-demand and interactive media. However the capabilities of the modern day TV poorly reflect this social, multi-user context. The TV is in the process of being supplemented, and in some cases replaced, by other devices and displays (e.g. phones, tablets) in what is termed "multi-screening". This allows users to engage in separate and private activities alongside TV usage. The result of this is that users are "together alone" inhabiting private digital bubbles, their activity and interactions cut off from those around them. This paper outlines why facilitating multi-user use of the TV is important within the context of existing multi-screen usage, and reviews how we might go about designing TVs that better support the social contexts in which they reside. Firstly we discuss how we interact with and share use of the TV, before examining how our TV usage has been augmented by multi-screening. We then review designs for multi-user TV: from shared use TV interfaces, to using the TV as a medium by which multi-screen activity can be shared, to TVs capable of providing multiple independent physical views, allowing for both private and collaborative activity on a single shared display. Finally we discuss new technologies that might have a part to play in determining the future role of the TV. This paper demonstrates that, contrary to existing usage, the TV can be of increasing relevance in the multi-user, multi-screen era.