Information transfer efficiency of peripheral audio cues

Transmitting basic information with non-speech audio cues is often afflicted with some disadvantages because of the differentness of the signals compared to the environmental noises. In this paper we present an evaluation of our ambient audio notification approach that uses instruments included in specially arranged aesthetical background music. First, we give a short introduction to non-speech audio cues and auditive perception. The study includes findings of the notification effectiveness and the recognition delay of notification instruments and compares it to a traditional audio cue.