The Sounds of Colors

April 10, 2020 6:56 PM

AudioScreen is an experiment in ways to make images, and specifically colors, accessible to the blind. There is an MP3 demonstration included.

AudioScreen is an add-on to the free and open-source NVDA screen reader, provided by its original creator.

posted by Alensin (6 comments total)

Speaking personally, I'm not only fascinated by the concept in general, but really curious how it can apply to some of my game accessibility projects. Many of the more complex games I'm interested in use color on maps, for instance, which this provides unprecedented access to.
posted by Alensin at 6:58 PM on April 10, 2020

So is this sorta like braille for images/color on a screen but instead of touch manifested through sound? Because that is super super cool. Would there be a steep learning curve or is this intuitive?
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 11:27 PM on April 10, 2020

Does anyone remember the radio commercials broadcast by Sony in the late ‘70s, early 80’s which went: “Blue. [sound]. Red. [different sound]. Yellow. [third sound].” etc.? I can’t remember the precise product (maybe Trinitron TVs?), or the tagline (maybe something along the lines of “experience color like never before”?). The sounds were synthesizer notes, I believe they included, “silver” and “gold” - and they were eerily, intuitively “right”. Have searched for a recording in vain, for ages. This project sounds up that same alley...
posted by progosk at 4:29 AM on April 11, 2020

Very cool. I'm sharing this post with a college disability resources center technician I know. Thank you!
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 7:00 AM on April 11, 2020

@Homo neanderthalensis, I definitely think there's a learning curve for myself, if only because I don't know much about colors to begin with. It's probably something I can get used to with a bit of training, but initially at least it was a rather alien experience. I've never had any usable vision; I wonder if it would make the process easier or even weirder.
posted by Alensin at 10:55 AM on April 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

Neil Harbisson also listen to colours. He does so through an antenna implanted in his skull.
posted by Captain Fetid at 7:26 PM on April 11, 2020