Joint and coordinated visual-sonic metaphors for interactive multi-channel data sonification to accompany data visualization

A joint data sonification and visualization method for representing a first plurality of channels of numerical information via data visualization and a second plurality of channels of numerical information via at least one audio-frequency waveform, the audio-frequency waveform perceived by a user as an audio tone with a plurality of corresponding discernable timbre attributes, further employing spatial sound rendering, the method comprising:

• receiving multidimensional numerical data;
• generating plurality of audio-frequency waveforms, each audio-frequency waveform comprising an associated fixed audio-frequency and at least one adjustable timbre attribute responsive to an associated timbre control parameter, each timbre control parameter having an associated adjustable value which can be discernibly varied within a timbre space occupied by the plurality of audio-frequency waveforms;
• associating aspects of multidimensional numerical data with the at least one timbre control parameter of at least one of the audio-frequency waveforms from the plurality of audio-frequency waveforms;
• and
• adjusting the value of each timbre control parameter responsive to an associated first value of the multidimensional numerical data according to a mapping function, the mapping function transforming first values of the multidimensional numerical data to values of associated timbre control parameters,
• wherein the timbre and the spatial location of the at least one audio-frequency waveform carries information responsive to values of the multidimensional numerical data for presentation as data sonification to a user, and
• wherein at least a portion of the multidimensional numerical data is provided to data visualization software.