# Design and Evaluation of a Web- and Mobile-Based Binaural Audio Platform for Cultural Heritage
## 4 PlugSonic Suite  
In this section, we describe the design criteria and some implementation details of the web and mobile applications that make up the _PlugSonic Suite_ (for complete implementation details, see in [42]). The apps--organised into the PlugSonic Sample and PlugSonic Soundscape groups--were developed to (1) facilitate the use of audio content to augment virtual exhibitions; (2) enhance on-line and/or on-site visits to museums, monuments or archaeological sites; and (3) share tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Specifically, we designed PlugSonic Sample to edit sound files and apply audio effects, and PlugSonic Soundscape to create and experience interactive spatialised soundscapes. In this way, social platform, curation tools and pluggable apps can include standard sound files (i.e., mono/stereo or mp3/wav format) to be used in voice descriptions, audio narratives or sound accompaniment to the platform's exhibitions, as well as interactive and explorable 3D audio narratives and soundscapes. PLUGGY users--whether institutions or citizens--are therefore given all the necessary instruments, and are not in need for specific devices, external tools (software and/or hardware), specialised knowledge and/or resources. Figure 2 gives a complete overview of the structure of the web and mobile apps included in the _PlugSonic Suite_. PlugSonic Sample and PlugSonic Soundscape Create were implemented only as web applications while PlugSonic Soundscape Experience was implemented both as web and mobile application. In this way, all the Soundscape exhibitions in PLUGGY can be explored in a virtual or physical space. When using Soundscape Experience Web, the navigation takes place on the browser using mouse, arrow keys or touch controls. With Soundscape Experience Mobile the navigation can take place in a real space; thanks to the use of the Apple ARKit [43], the user can freely navigate within a room while the device's camera is used to extrapolate the person's position in the room and hence in the soundscape. A typical use case of the _PlugSonic Suite_ could be described as follows. Let us suppose that a user would like to curate a new 3D audio soundscape. The first step would be to select the appropriate audio assets to be included in the Soundscape exhibition. The user has the option to either upload new audio files to the PLUGGY social platform or use content already available. Any file uploaded to PLUGGY (e.g., image, video, 3D model or sound) is associated to an asset--with a dedicated web page--which contains extended information such as title, description, location, license, tags, number of likes, comments, etc. While creating a new audio asset, the user might decide to use PlugSonic Sample to edit the audio file and enhance the sound. The next step would be to create the new Soundscape exhibition using PlugSonic Soundscape Create. Upon loading the app, the user can set size and shape of the virtual environment (which might relate to a real physical space or not) and search and retrieve the desired audio files. The sound sources are imported into the soundscape and represented as _circles_ in the virtual room. The curation process includes setting the position for each sound source together with many other options controlling the sources' sound and the interaction between sources and user (see Section 4.2 for details). As PlugSonic Soundscape Create allows for playback and navigation, at any moment during the curation, the user can listen to the soundscape and test the exhibition. After this curation steps are completed, the user can save and publish it. At this point, other users could explore the soundscape using their own device (personal computer, mobile or tablet). Some might choose to do so from home, using Soundscape Experience Web to visit the exhibition in the virtual environment.