A Fractal Audible Interface

[rgsparber]

I think my choice of the name of this interface may be better than the underlying design.

My challenge was to design an interface that transmits a series of beeps. These beeps convey a number with a precision determined by the person hearing it.

If you are interested, please, click here.



Your comments are welcome. All of us are smarter than any one of us.


Thanks,

Rick

[mklotz]

You've invented the repeater charge gauge, the modern stepchild of the repeater pocket watch of old. Repeater watches worked in various ways but a typical model worked like this...

The minute repeater is a complication wherein the wearer activates a lever to chime the time. The minute repeater chimes the hours, quarter hours, and minutes using three different tones. Usually the hours are sounded using a single hammer and gong in a low tone. The quarter hours are signaled by two tones (a high and low sound) using two hammers, and the minutes (past the quarter hour) are sounded using a single high tone. For instance, at 8:36, the watch will chime eight low notes for the hour, two double-tone notes for the quarter hours, and six high notes for the minutes.

If you plan to market this idea (I'm guessing you're not) take heed of the fact that the average American cannot tell you the sum of 1/2 and 1/4 and isn't even aware that fractions can be multiplied just like "real" numbers.

[rgsparber]

Marv,

That repeater chime interface sounds a lot more complicated than my scheme.

I sadly agree that many people could not figure out that 2/4 is the same as 1/2.

Happy (secular) New Year,

Rick

[mklotz]

More complicated in that it reports three separate numbers (H, M, S) with more digits (12:59 would be 12 - 3 - 14 = 29 dings to count) and two separate frequencies to alert the listener to what is about to be reported.

Yes, it's more complicated but still the technique is the same; an alert tone and then "dings" the listener must count and interpret based on the alert.

If it's not too difficult to implement, two different frequencies for your "preambles" might make it easier to interpret. But since presumably you're the only user, whatever works for you.

Repeater watches were probably the bane of concert goers just as smart phones are today.

I wonder if there's a "Name that Tune" approach. As the charge depletes it plays fewer and fewer notes of a well-known tune.

Anyway, congratulations on an ingenious and elegant solution to the problem.