Soundscape Cognition for User Behavior in Urban Parks

Abstract

To investigate the cognitive components of urban park soundscape design, we evaluated soundscape preference based on visual object change factors for the background and people within the virtual reality (VR) environment. We investigated the changes in the sound pressure level and frequency characteristics among 18 evaluation points selected from three parks in Paris. For the investigation, sound environments of two minutes and 30 seconds during the daytime (10:00-14:00) were selected from each point using a 360-degree camera (Insta360) and SoundField (SPS200) microphone. To investigate the behavioral characteristics of urban users, the image of each selected point was divided into 30-second segments, and objective characteristics, such as activity, group, posture, and density, were analyzed. We also evaluated subjective responses, such as soundscape evaluation factors, landscape evaluation factors, and overall satisfaction, to investigate the differences in soundscape cognition as behavioral characteristics changed at the same point in the park. To realize an immersive environment, the subjects were allowed to move freely in VR by reflecting the direction of the sound source and head rotations. Assessments of the level of immersion and sense of reality were used to verify the experimental environment.