Earcon

An earcon is a brief, distinctive sound used to represent a specific event or convey other information. Earcons are a common feature of computer operating systems and applications, ranging from beeping when an error occurs to the customizable sound schemes of Windows 7 that indicate startup, shutdown, and many other events.[1]

The name is a pun on the more familiar term icon in computer interfaces. Icon sounds like "eye-con" and is visual, which inspired D.A. Sumikawa to coin "earcon" as the auditory equivalent in a 1985 article, 'Guidelines for the integration of audio cues into computer user interfaces.'[2]

Although the term is most commonly applied to sound cues in a computer interface, examples of the concept can be seen in broadcast media such as radio and television:

Earcons are generally synthesized tones or sound patterns. The similar term auditory icon refers to recorded everyday sounds that are used for the same purpose.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Thurrott, Paul (2009-03-08). "Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Windows 7 Build 7048 Notes". Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
  2. ↑ Sumikawa, D.A. (1985). "Guidelines for the integration of audio cues into computer user interfaces". Retrieved 28 March 2011.


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