Sound Prominence

The perceptual quality that makes certain sounds stand out from others in an auditory scene, determined by factors such as loudness, distinctiveness, proximity, and relevance to the listener. Sound prominence is a key parameter for sound awareness technologies serving deaf and hard of hearing users, as it helps prioritize which sounds to present first in environments with multiple overlapping sound sources. DHH users have expressed strong preferences for systems that foreground the most prominent or relevant sound rather than listing all detected sounds equally, as this reduces cognitive load and supports faster decision-making about environmental events.