Post by John B on Feb 26, 2024 22:37:52 GMT -5
Village Idiot, I thought this was interesting.
Turning the sight of the upcoming total eclipse into sound
The LightSound Project builds devices that blind people can use to experience an astronomical event.
When the moon passes between the sun and Earth on April 8, it’s what Texans and others in the path of the total eclipse will see – the sky going from bright to dark and back again – that makes the moment special. But a group of astronomers at Harvard wants everyone to experience these rare moments, including observers who are blind or have limited vision.
Harvard astronomer Allyson Bieryla directs the LightSound Project, which runs workshops where volunteers help build small boxes that turn the sight of an eclipse into sound, and distributes the devices to those who want them.
“It’s essentially a solar eclipse sonification tool that we designed to aid the blind and low-vision community. Sonification, simply put, is taking data and turning it into sound,” Bieryla said. “So in this case, we’re taking light and converting it into sound during this solar eclipse.”
In 2017, the Harvard scientists built three sonification devices for an eclipse event. For the upcoming April eclipse, the group wants to make 750 available.
www.texasstandard.org/stories/solar-eclipse-2024-lightsound-project-blind-low-vision-aid/
Turning the sight of the upcoming total eclipse into sound
The LightSound Project builds devices that blind people can use to experience an astronomical event.
When the moon passes between the sun and Earth on April 8, it’s what Texans and others in the path of the total eclipse will see – the sky going from bright to dark and back again – that makes the moment special. But a group of astronomers at Harvard wants everyone to experience these rare moments, including observers who are blind or have limited vision.
Harvard astronomer Allyson Bieryla directs the LightSound Project, which runs workshops where volunteers help build small boxes that turn the sight of an eclipse into sound, and distributes the devices to those who want them.
“It’s essentially a solar eclipse sonification tool that we designed to aid the blind and low-vision community. Sonification, simply put, is taking data and turning it into sound,” Bieryla said. “So in this case, we’re taking light and converting it into sound during this solar eclipse.”
In 2017, the Harvard scientists built three sonification devices for an eclipse event. For the upcoming April eclipse, the group wants to make 750 available.
www.texasstandard.org/stories/solar-eclipse-2024-lightsound-project-blind-low-vision-aid/
