SPATIAL ANALYSIS USING SONOROUS CARTOGRAPHY. SOME PROPOSITIONS.

摘要

Geovisualization is currently proposing a lot of approaches for spatial analysis in the field of animated and multimedia maps (Josselin & Fabrikant, 2003, Cartwright et al, 2007). Although it seems relevant to use our visual sense to comprehend phenomena in space and time (Adrienko, 2006), we maybe underestimate how useful can be hearing to complete our knowledge acquisition (Cauvin, 2008) and, more generally, our 'spatial thinking'. In this paper, we make some propositions to use sounds and chords added to statistical graphs to better understand the organization of space. We propose to couple a musical synthesizer to an statistical environment for developing interactive mapping applications. This method may also be used by blind or disabled people with deficient sight who compensate their handicap by emphasizing other personal capabilities, but also as a complementary geovisualization tool for any spatial analyst. As we know the importance of auditory objects to develop sensorial capacities from the cognition specialists (Brewster, 1994, O'Callaghan, 1999), it indicates that crossing our senses can improve our capacity to analyse spatial data on maps. On another hand, 'soundscape' can also be used to create ambiance which recalls or suggests an immersive environment (acoustic ecology). Those sounds can be natural acoustic noises, animal vocals, weather sounds, or even sounds created by humans (musical composition, conversations, industrial sounds, etc.) (Muller & Scharlach, 1999). It is not surprising that Murray Schaffer, who invented the soundscape concept in 1969, has been an educator and a music verbose composer. This shows how music and education are overlapping and this militates in favour of their joint use in spatial analysis, especially for teaching purpose about cartography. Let us also notice that some research works consist in mapping the urban sound (Schiewe J. & Kornfeld, 2009) or building geographical information systems dedicated to soundscape (Servigne et al., 1999). Although they are not directly linked to the research presented in this paper, these works bring an interesting point of view, because they enhance the sound, the noise or the auditive nuisances as important aspects of geographical information. In our project, we aim to include the audition in the process of spatial analysis.