Project title: Communication and Listening Effort for Blind and Partially Sighted People
Project Partner: Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
University: University of Salford
Supervisors: Dr Simone Graetzer and Dr Samantha Gregory
What is your PhD is about?
My research is about accessible communication for blind and partially sighted people. In particular, I will be developing methods of optimising speech synthesis to reduce listening effort associated with using screen readers at high word rates.
Why is it important to do this research?
Screen readers are an important and widely-used assistive technology for people with sight loss. However, they are often used at very high word rates which can be mentally exhausting to process. This research will contribute to the development of adaptive technologies for improving the listening experience of screen reader users, allowing for more inclusive and independent access to digital information.
What drew you to studying this PhD?
While studying for my MSc I became very interested in auditory perception and how sound can be used for communication, particularly in the absence of vision. I also believe in using research to promote inclusive and accessible design wherever possible, so this project really stood out to me as a perfect combination of my research interests and ambitions.
What does a Sustainable Sound Future mean to you?
As technology continues to evolve rapidly, a Sustainable Sound Future means using innovation to close gaps, rather than create them. It is essential that inclusion is a fundamental part of technological progression, and not an afterthought.
Tell us a fun acoustic fact!
In order to reduce file size, MP3 files exploit the psychoacoustic phenomenon of auditory masking to remove data that can’t be detected by human ears. For example, where the sound of a loud instrument ‘masks’ a nearby or similar-in-pitch quieter sound, the data for the masked sound can be permanently removed without causing a noticeable loss in quality.