Hello!

The Enhancing Audio Description II project seeks to explore the potential of sound design practices and spatial audio to provide accessible film and television experiences for visually impaired audiences. It fuses audio technology and creativity to widen the notion of media accessibility and increase the quality and quantity of provision, providing cutting edge techniques to the UK cultural sector. Find out more.

Binaural listening test room

Bi-monthly Newsletter

Would you like to stay updated on our activities? Join our subscribers to get updates on our progress, new blog posts, podcast episodes, and occasional calls for participation in our studies. Simply enter your email address in the box below, click the 'Subscribe' button, and then check your emails to confirm your subscription.


    Blog

    Krisztián demonstrating the use of a portable microphone.

    Roving Reporters Training Day

    Last June, MySight York, the Enhancing Audio Description project (represented by Krisztián), and Jane Bateman teamed up to introduce the basics of audio interviewing and creating podcasts to a group of visually impaired participants. Find out more.


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    2022 Conference and Exhibition on Languages and the Media

    Mariana attended the Languages and the Media Conference in Berlin between 7th-9th November 2022 to deliver a pre-conference workshop and present a poster on the EAD project. Find out more.


    MySight York's imformation booklet on a table.

    Visual Impairment Awareness and Sighted Guiding Training

    Last June, we did two workshops with MySight York, a local organisation in York supporting visually impaired people. The first one was a whole day training session delivered by Vicky and Jade from MySight York. Find out more.


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    Inclusive Impact Award Nomination

    Our project has been nominated for an Inclusive Impact Award! Find out more.


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    York Festival of Ideas — On Binaural Audio and Beyond

    Michael got the chance to help Mariana and Gavin with their Festival of Ideas talk last June. This post is a reflection on his experience. Find out more.


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    Internship

    We are excited to announce that our project will be supporting a third internship during the first year of the 4 year project. In conjunction with and funded by Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE), we have a further internship which is now open for undergraduate student applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. Find out more.


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    BBC World Service's Digital Planet Radio

    We are delighted to tell you about a recent opportunity where Mariana and our project were featured in a series of accessibility segments on BBC World Service's Digital Planet, a weekly tech radio show. Find out more.


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    Internships

    We are delighted to announce that our project will be supporting a number of internships throughout the course of the 4 year project. The initial two internships are now being advertised to students across the University of York and are currently open for applications! Find out more.


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    York Festival of Ideas 2022

    On 15 June 2022, between 6pm to 7pm, Mariana and Gavin presented our work at the York Festival of Ideas at the University of York. Find out more.


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    Leeds School of Arts

    On 27 April 2022, Mariana gave a talk titled Enhanced Audio Description - Sound, Design, Creativity and Integrated Access at the Leeds School of Arts, now archived on YouTube. Find out more.


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    Edinburgh Napier University

    Mariana gave a guest lecture for Edinburgh Napier University in March titled Enhanced Audio Description - Creative Accessibility through Sound Design.


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    Press Publication

    On 29 March 2022, Fern Lulham discussed our project on BBC Radio 4 on the In Touch programme. The programme also inserted sections of the interview she did with Mariana for Digital Planet last November and an extract from Pearl. Find out more.


    A frame from the movie Shelf Life.

    Shelf Life

    In this post, you can watch our short film Shelf Life and read about why we made it. Find out more.


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    Accessibility Camp 2022

    On 22 February 2022, Mariana gave a talk titled 'Accessibility through Sound Design; an introduction to Enhanced Audio Description' at the Perth Web Accessibility Camp 2022 event. Find out more.


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    Press Publication

    On 08 February 2022, the interview Mariana recently did for BBC World Service's Digital Planet radio show was broadcast. The interview starts 21 minutes in. Find out more.


    Girl looking through a foggy window.

    Pearl

    Pearl is a short film (Palumbo, 2014) whose soundtrack was redesigned as part of our project in 2016. The soundtrack uses the EAD principles to provide an accessible experience for visually impaired audiences, that is based on creative sound design practices, including binaural audio and first person narration. Find out more.


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    Press Publication

    On 20 December 2021, the new blog titled AUDIO DESCRIPTION, Research and Practice by Michael Achtman launched with an article featuring our project. Find out more.


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    Press Publication

    On 18 November 2021, RNIB Connect Radio interviewed Mariana in their 1023th episode titled The Future of Audio Description? Find out more.


    Participate

    Our team carries out focus groups, interviews and other sessions on a regular basis. If you are visually impaired and are interested in participating you can sign up to our participants' mailing list below to find out about the opportunities available.