[ISSUE16] SOUND

  • Sound exists all around us, although we may not be paying attention. For instance, the twitter of a bird and the babbling of a brook. Many of us have distanced ourselves from these sounds born of nature, as we opt for a life in the cities, surrounded and inundated by artificial sounds. There is music and audio guides playing in train stations and commercial facilities, acoustic signals at crosswalks, and a myriad of noises that home appliances make. The sounds and music that one may find soothing may be nothing but noise to another. Thus, there is a need for designing universally acceptable sounds. In this edition, we introduce the researchers actively pursuing the mysteries of sound, seeking to discover the true nature of sound that fills our world, and working to design sound that will enrich our lives in the future.