Microsoft to open source Soundscapes, the audio navigation research project

Starting January 3, 2023, the Soundscape source code is going to be available as open-source software so that anyone can continue to build on it.  For the last six years, Microsoft has developed Soundscape as a research project. Soundscape was designed to use augmented reality and three-dimensional audio to deliver information about a person’s location and points of interest.  Augmented reality has been used to guide people to unfamiliar locations.

Also on January 3, 2023, the IOS app will no longer be available for download while the existing installs will function until the end of June 2023. Microsoft learned that Soundscape helped power mobility instructors, and adaptive sports, and has been a great asset to low-vision individuals.

Documentation on how to build and use the system will be available from the Soundscape GitHub page that will be shared on January 3, 2023.