Improving audio conferencing: are two ears better than one?

In this paper, we describe a range of audio problems that impact the effectiveness of audio conferences and detail the solutions we have devised to address these problems. We conducted an audio quality assessment to determine how differences in quality impact audio clarity, a remote person’s experience connecting to a conference room , and social presence. Based on the results of this assessment, we examine the costs and benefits of increasing audio fidelity with respect to the network resources needed to support high-fidelity audio conferencing. Categories and Subject Descriptors H.5.3 [Group and Organization Interfaces]: collaborative computing, synchronous interaction, computer-supported cooperative work, evaluation/methodology, organizational design. General Terms Design, Experimentation, Human Factors. Keywords Audio conferencing, distributed meetings, cocktail-party effect.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: CSCW
• Authors: Nicole Yankelovich, Jonathan Kaplan, Joe Provino, Mike Wessler, Joan Morris DiMicco
• Keywords: Audio Conferencing, Audio Quality Assessment, CSCW 2006, Impact Audio Clarity, Social Sciences