Visualizing Voice Characteristics with Type Design in Closed Captions for Arabic

Tim Schlippe, Shaimaa Alessai, Ghanimeh El-Taweel, Matthias Wölfel, Wajdi Zaghouani

Abstract: Diversification of fonts in video captions based on the voice characteristics, namely loudness, speed and pauses, can affect the viewer receiving the content. This study evaluates a new method, WaveFont, which visualizes the voice characteristics for captions in an intuitive way. The study was specifically designed to test captions, which aims to add a new experience for Arabic viewers. The results indicate that our visualization is comprehensible and acceptable and provides significant added value-for hearing-impaired and non-hearing impaired participants: Significantly more participants stated that WaveFont improves their watching experience more than standard captions.