TAPIR sound tag: an automatic tagging system based on virtually inaudible high-frequency sound

Abstract

This thesis presents a novel tagging system, ”TAPIR Sound Tag”, which uses the ”theoretically audible, but practically inaudible range” of sound as a medium of digital communication. The suggested system provides a similar user experience to prior tagging systems while avoiding high construction costs, low accessibility or the need for additional hardware.By using ordinary loudspeakers and users’ own digital devices as transmitter and receiver, the suggested system can instantly create a communication network that can reliably transmit unspecified digital streams at low latency. The system is readily applied to a diversity of mobile applications, allowing developers to build their own tagging environments.This thesis introduces two representative applications: the development of a location-based mobile exhibition guide, and a platform for interactive art. The potential and limitations of the system are discussed along with outlines of future research.