Designing the Auditor: A Prototype of Locative Radio with Original Sound Content

Location-based sound media are similar to traditional radio in that they rely on communication in sound alone. The smartphone has GPS and Bluetooth, and it is easy to attach sound to locations like a rail station, a neighborhood, or a street. The research team designed a media prototype, Auditor, and produced a soundscape called "The Railroad Dialogues." The medium and content were tested in a field trial with 42 young, urban headphone listeners. The article reports on the informants' level of immersion in the sound content and interface, and considers their potential to supplement radio in the future.