Interactive Auditory Navigation in the Molecular Structures of Amino Acids: A Case Study Using Multiple Concurrent Sound Sources Representing Nearby Atoms

We are interested in sonifying the molecular structures of amino acids. This paper describes the context and the rst design choices for our approach. So far, we believe an amino acid molecule is too complex to be perceived at once. Therefore, we have designed an interactive form of sonication in which the listener navigates through the molecule over the network of carbon atoms. We describe our different approaches and discuss the topic of immediacy: the time it takes to recognize the structure surrounding the listener’s position while navigating. Furthermore, we touch upon the question how many atoms we can sonify simultaneously and the role auditory masking plays in this context. To overcome auditory masking, we propose to use irregular but easy to recognize sounds. We conclude with an interest in a three-dimensional navigation environment using general molecular structures for further research and development.