Project Auricle is an experiment in audio communications using networked workstations. In order for users to communicate using Auricle, they must first have the sound of their voices converted from analog sound waves to digital data by the hardware present in their workstations. The digitized audio data are then transmitted over a computer network to remote workstation. They are then converted back to a close approximation of their original analog form and are played back over the workstation's loudspeaker.
Auricle consists of two programs.
The Vocative Engine is responsible for converting sounds into digital data and transmitting them over a network. The Auricular Engine receives the digital audio data and converts them back to analog form, and then plays them back over the workstation's loudspeaker. Auricle operates in two modes. In pseudo-time mode, the data are transmitted and played back as soon as individual data packets are received by the Auricular Engine. Currently Auricle has been tested only on a local area network on homogenous workstations.