Projects
Aria3D – 3D Audio Navigation Project
A long-term technology innovation project
Aria3D is a long-running technology research and development project exploring the use of spatial audio as a primary means of navigation and information representation.
The project focuses on the design of a three-dimensional audio environment in which position, movement, and structure are conveyed through continuous sound rather than visual interfaces or spoken prompts.
I have been developing Aria3D as an independent project since 2005.
What Aria3D is
At its core, Aria3D is a 3D audio navigation engine.
Instead of relying on screens, maps, or voice instructions, the system represents space and objects using layered musical and spatial sound cues. These cues allow a user to orient themselves, move through an environment, and understand relative position through sound alone.
The approach is designed to be:
- Continuous rather than event-based
- Non-verbal rather than instruction-driven
- Spatial rather than symbolic
The result is a form of navigation that can operate alongside, or independently from, visual systems.
Origins and development
Aria3D began as an exploration of how people interpret sound spatially and how that capacity could be used to convey structured information.
Over time, the project has evolved through:
- Conceptual design and theory development
- Iterative prototyping
- Interactive browser-based demonstrations
- Exploration of applications in navigation and accessibility
The project has been developed independently, outside of commercial or institutional constraints, allowing ideas to be explored over a long time horizon.
Potential applications
While Aria3D remains an experimental and evolving system, the underlying concepts have potential relevance in areas such as:
- Assistive navigation and accessibility
- Spatial awareness in non-visual environments
- Training and simulation
- Human–computer interaction design
- Audio-based information systems
The project is intentionally exploratory, focusing on foundational ideas rather than immediate productisation.
My role
I am the originator and primary developer of the Aria3D concept.
My work on the project has involved:
- Conceptual and systems design
- Defining audio-spatial rules and representations
- Prototyping and testing interactive models
- Ongoing refinement of the theoretical framework
The project reflects long-term engagement with complex system design, abstraction, and human interaction with technology.
Why this appears on my professional site
Aria3D is not a legal service. It is included here because it forms part of my broader professional profile.
The project reflects:
- Long-term engagement with technology and system design
- Familiarity with technical concepts and development processes
- An interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving
- Comfort working at the intersection of law, technology, and human systems
These perspectives inform my work as an arbitrator, mediator, and adviser – particularly in matters involving technical systems, emerging technologies, or complex organisational processes.
Relationship to legal and advisory work
My involvement in Aria3D does not create any obligation, endorsement, or technical advisory relationship in legal matters.
However, experience developing and reasoning about technical systems over many years informs:
- How I analyse complex factual environments
- How I approach evidence involving technical systems
- How I engage with technology-driven disputes or investigations
This project is part of the intellectual context I bring to my professional work.
Explore the project
Further information, demonstrations, and technical discussion are available at the project’s dedicated website:
Enquiries
General enquiries about Aria3D as a research or innovation project may be directed through the contact details on this site.
Email: martin@martindillon.nz
Phone: +64 21 144 0486