Customizable Immersive Audio Experiences That Can 'Teleport'​ You While WFH

We're close to the one year mark since our world transitioned to virtual 'everything', turning most of our regular interactions and experiences digital.

When lockdowns were enforced and physical gates closed, a lot of popular attractions such as museums and national parks opened their doors to individuals through their screens. You could walk through museums like the MoMA in New York or hike through national parks like Yosemite all from your couch. There are endless YouTube videos that give you 360°/VR views of theme parks and monuments. While these resources are entertaining and enriching, they don’t quite make up for the full lived experience or simulate the environment of being in these spaces.

When I travel, I love to see places as a local would. Walking down quaint lanes, grabbing some street food, listening to the sounds of their language, and seeing the city from their perspective. I really enjoy working in community spaces - cafes, quiet restaurants, libraries, and co-working spaces all get my creative juices flowing. There’s something inspiring & encouraging about watching and hearing the buzz of others going through their daily lives.

That’s why when I found the following resources that let me immerse myself into an environment, not just visually but audibly as well - I was so fascinated & excited. I really enjoyed the fact that I could even tailor the ambiance to my liking - so if I want to hear more of ‘the rain hitting the windows’ than of ‘fellow workers typing away’- that’s completely in the user's realm.

1. I Miss My Bar- A project by Maverick, a bar based in Mexico, they’ve described the website as “A modern digital artifact recreating the atmosphere of our favorite local bars to keep us company while it's safe to visit them again.” There are adjustable sounds for a bartender working, sounds of a full room, street ambiance, and a weekly curated playlist.

2. WindowSwap- We all look forward to an amazing window view while on vacation, but what I liked best about this site was that they're not only Instagram-perfect views but also views from a mundane house (all user-contributed content). You could be looking at the Singaporean skyline one minute, somebody’s backyard in Johannesburg the next, and the mountains in Scotland after that. There’s something truly calming and fulfilling about being able to look through someone else's lens in another part of the world.

3. Drive and Listen- I think one of the best ways to get to see a city is to drive through and get ‘lost’ in it. Through this site, you can enjoy a leisurely drive through the non-touristy streets of the city of your choice. And the best part is that you can even tune into the local radio channels. This was a true auditory and visual treat.

4. My Noise- This is another sound generator website, highly customizable, it has simulations of environments ranging from the Irish Coast to a Japanese Garden, to a Calm Office.

5. Hipstersound- A ‘cafe vibes’ sound generator, the website has a few free ‘atmospheres’ while the others are paid through their premium model. The available ambiances can be personalized to your taste by switching on sounds such as those of an ocean lounge, rainy terrace, jazz club, and even piano club.

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Cool websites aside, it's been interesting to see how far digital experiences have come in the past few months in trying to form more personal connections and authentic replications of live experiences. Audio platforms have also come a long way - the recent popularity of social networks like Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces being a testament to this. Part of it could be attributed to video call fatigue and the pressure of having to 'look your best' while engaging with others being alleviated. As 'Zoom' became a commonly used adjective in our lives, we also changed a lot of our behaviors to accommodate this into our lifestyle.

I'm curious to see how moving forward, preferences shift for certain mediums and platforms and what consequences this will have for those looking to engage with consumers.