Welcome to the Spatial Sound & Guidance Company

Using audio wayfinding to connect people and places

Revolutionise how people interact with their environment through spatial sound and guidance technology.

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From Heads-Down to Heads-Up

Changing how people understand and relate to physical surroundings

Moving from smartphone screen mode to engaged and oriented mode. Our vision is to help change the way people understand and relate to their physical surroundings. From a 'heads-down' smartphone screen mode, to a 'heads-up' engaged and oriented mode. Connecting people and places by adding layers of digital information to locations for richer, more engaging experiences.

Transform interaction from 'heads-down' to 'heads-up' engagement

Add layers of digital information to locations

Create richer, more engaging experiences with places

Help people stay aware, engaged and oriented to surroundings

Audio Augmented Navigation

Works with your existing mobile device and headphones. Ambient cues replace turn-by-turn directions.

  • Audio augments places with spatially aware navigation and information
  • Ambient cues call out nearby roads, landmarks, and points of interest
  • Audio beacons guide you toward destinations while walking or cycling
  • Helps build mental maps of the environment
[Audio Navigation Demo Placeholder]

Using your existing mobile and headphones, we use audio to augment places with spatially aware navigation and information.

Built on Microsoft Soundscape Technology

10 years of research into 3D spatial audio cues.

  • Originally developed to help people with low vision gain mobility independence
  • Investigated rich 3D spatial audio for navigation assistance
  • Developed for accessibility, now brought to mainstream applications
  • Led by the original project team from Microsoft

Soundscape was a 10-year research project undertaken by Microsoft, set up to investigate how rich 3D spatial audio cues can help people with low vision gain more mobility independence. Our company has been set up with the lead from that project, to bring this technology to the mainstream.

Real-World Testing and Deployment

Soundscape technology has been deployed in proof-of-concept trials during its design and development.

▶ VIDEO 1

Commuter Train Route

Reading to London

▶ VIDEO 2

Walking Tour

Southwark, London

▶ VIDEO 3

Community Trial

St. Albans

These deployments demonstrate the technology's versatility across different transportation modes and environments, including successful integration of crowd-sourced information from local communities.

How to Get Involved

Developing pilots with organizations seeking innovative interaction methods.

Multiple application areas for forward-thinking partners.

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  • Local Authorities encouraging walking and cycling initiatives
  • Business improvement organizations boosting district engagement
  • Large businesses enhancing onboarding and wayfinding experiences
  • Organizations serving stakeholders, colleagues, and customers

Right now, we are developing pilots with organisations that want to provide more innovative ways for people to interact with the places that they visit.

Who is Behind Spatial Sound & Guidance?

The company has four co-founders, including from the original Microsoft research team and experts from the urban planning and digital places industry.

Stephen Lorimer

Chief Executive Officer

Steve is a well-known expert in UK and European urban and climate planning. This is his second start-up and prior to that developed the Clean Energy Cities programme at the Centre for Net Zero. Steve holds a Doctorate from University College London, in Energy and built environment.

Linda Chandler

Chief Digital Officer

Linda most recently was Chief Digital Officer at Olympia UK. Prior to this she was the Smart Cities lead for Microsoft UK and APAC, and Chief Information Officer for the London Development Agency. As a digital places expert, Linda speaks regularly at industry events.

Jarnail Chudge

Chief Product Officer

Jarnail was the founder of Microsoft Soundscape and led the development of the Soundscape Community app. He was with Microsoft for 22 years and is an Honorary Professor of Practice at University College London, specialising in AI in Accessibility.

Phillip Joe

Chief Operations and Design Officer

Phillip most recently was Director of Strategy and operations for Experience design at Lloyds Banking Group. Prior to Microsoft he established and ran the Interaction design discipline at IDEO London. He is a coach on the Innovation RCA start-up programme.

Ready to Discuss Working Together?

Contact us to explore opportunities

Let's discuss what we can do for your organization

enquiries@ssgc.io

Spatial Sound and Guidance Company Ltd. London, England. Contact enquiries@ssgc.io.