Natural Soundscapes

Soundscape research focuses on understanding and analyzing the acoustic environments humans and animals inhabit, aiming to quantify and improve perceptual qualities like pleasantness and reduce noise pollution. Current research employs machine learning models, including convolutional neural networks and transformers, to automatically classify sound events, predict human responses (e.g., annoyance), and even generate soundscapes from images or text. This work has significant implications for urban planning, conservation efforts (e.g., bioacoustic monitoring), and the development of assistive technologies for the visually impaired by providing objective measures of acoustic environments and enabling data-driven interventions.