Heat Chords: Strains of Stress by Liuhuaying Yang

This project transforms the data from the Heat, Health, and Habitat project (https://vis.csh.ac.at/heat-health-habitats/) into a dynamic auditory experience, designed as a full music composition. The Heat, Health, and Habitat project examines the effects of rising temperatures on mortality among Austria's aging population, focusing on the impact of heat stress—caused by high temperatures and environmental factors—on health.
The sonification uses shifting harmonies to represent fluctuating stress levels, driven by both the number of heat days and the ratio of the aging population. As temperatures rise and more individuals are affected, the chords intensify, reflecting the escalating health risks. These stress levels are directly mapped to the chords, with each increase in stress corresponding to more intense harmonies. Additionally, the sequence of chords reflects the progression of heat stress over the year, with each year's stress level influencing the harmony for the following year, creating a dynamic and evolving soundscape. The piece offers an immersive listening experience, with distinct regions of the composition representing specific data points. Listeners can also click on particular regions to hear how heat stress manifests in those areas.