Sound is Often Overlooked

Device improvements tend to focus on visuals, but users may also want improvements on what they hear.

Better Sound Works Better

Well designed sounds can be more easily recognized and be intuitive even if they have never been heard before.

The Future of Hospital Sound: Transforming Healthcare Through Sound Experience 2020

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Functional and sensible: Patient monitoring alarm tones designed with those who hear them 2022

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The Sound of Ultrasound: How Fetal Monitor Users Listen to Doppler Sounds 2023

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Sonic Interface Design

Product sounds that fit the overall UX, such as alarm tones, confirmation/error tones, button taps, voice alerts, pacing guides, data sonificationVoice casting, scripting, and directionMastering and optimization for audio hardware

Research and Consulting

User research to learn workflows and needs, such as stakeholder interviews, group workshops, surveys, qualitative and quantitative analysisAudiological analysis and digital signal processingSonic strategies and design language systems

Yoko K. Sen
Founder and Creative DirectorYoko is an ambient electronic musician and sound artist. Born and raised in Japan, she was classically trained in piano from age three. Yoko has produced two award-winning albums, “012906” and “Heaven’s Library,” and has been a citizen artist fellow at Kennedy Center. She was also an artist-in-residence at Johns Hopkins Sibley Innovation Hub, Stanford Medicine X and KP Innovation at Kaiser Permanente. Yoko has given talks internationally, including at TEDMED and the Aspen Ideas Festival. Yoko aspires to create music, which is, to quote Beethoven, “the mediator between the spiritual and sensual life.”

Avery Sen, PhD
Co-founder and Managing DirectorAvery cultivates audio innovation for and with listeners, working alongside savvy designers, engineers, and researchers. His assumption is that innovation is a social practice of collective sense-making, and great sound comes from including listeners in the creation process. Avery spent 20 years applying social research to R&D governance systems (at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and SRI International) so science and technology align with public interest. His studies focused on the philosophy of science, the economics of space, and the management of "transformative" R&D.

Matt Barile
Director of Sound DesignMatt is a composer, sound-designer, and producer in the field of audio branding. His portfolio includes Amazon Echo's "Alexa," Google's Voice Search, Hangouts, and Calendar notifications, and music featured in Olympic Games broadcasts. Matt has been an audio engineer, a performing musician, and has a Masters in Music Business and Technology from NYU. Matt is honored to work with healthcare community to shape the future sound of hospital environments. In his spare time, he loves to spend time with his boy Julian and dog Carter, blur the boundaries of art and AI, and wander in the woods.

Gian Torri
Sound DesignerGian specializes in UX and interaction sound design, shaping immersive auditory experiences for apps, products, and devices. Coming from a background in music and having worked as a live drummer and producer for artists, Gian's approach is driven by a passion for crafting meaningful sonic environments. He's committed to working in the healthcare space to benefit the lives of clinicians and patients. Beyond his professional pursuits, Gian enjoys improvising odd drum beats, baking sourdough, and hugging large conifers.