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The One

Towards new landscapes unfolding from sound
~Sound One~

Sound One Co., Ltd., a group company, is developing Sound One, the group's first cloud service. We spoke with Directors Goto and Ishida about the launch and their future prospects.

  • Right: Goto, Director of Sound One Co., Ltd.; Left: Ishida, Director of Sound One Co., Ltd.
    Right: Goto, Director of Sound One Co., Ltd.
    Left: Ishida, Director, Sound One Co., Ltd.

What kind of service is Sound One?

Goto

This service combines our expertise in "sound" with "cloud services," creating a new web application that collects and utilizes sound data on the cloud. Its most distinctive feature is the Audio Test function, which allows users to conduct online auditory evaluations of how people perceive sounds emitted by products (such as sound signals and operating noises). While previous auditory evaluations required gathering people in one location, this service is entirely online, reducing the time and effort required for sound evaluation and allowing a larger number of people to participate. This function is unique to our company and, since its launch at the beginning of 2023, has contributed not only to addressing product noise but also to creating "comfortable sounds" for the world.

What were some of the things you enjoyed and some of the challenges you faced while working on Sound One?

Ishida

When this business was still in the conceptual stage, I spoke to customers about the kind of service I wanted to create, and I was happy that they responded with "That's great!" and shared my enthusiasm, which was a great support as we proceeded with development. However, since this service is something that has never existed before, we haven't yet been able to widely recognize its value, and in that respect, I feel a sense of frustration.

Goto

Personally, I am very grateful for the environment that allows me to conduct business with free thinking, unconstrained by various conventional limitations and fixed ideas. Furthermore, I am delighted to see that our environment is now having a positive impact on our parent company. Taking on new challenges like this service comes with responsibility, and we often face unforeseen problems, but I believe these are inevitable when taking on new challenges.

Please tell us about Sound One's future plans.

Goto

Even when we talk about "how people perceive sound," everyone interprets the same sound differently, and sound preferences vary by region and age group. While previous sound design methods often failed to address these subtle nuances, we believe that auditory surveys, conducted via the web worldwide, can contribute to deeper sound design globally, for example, by tailoring product sounds to different countries and regions.

Ishida

Sound has a vast scope, so we want to expand our business beyond the industrial sector that Ono Sokki has traditionally excelled in, and into areas like art and entertainment, crossing boundaries through sound.

Goto

That's right. This service has room to grow both vertically and horizontally, so I feel that a very wide landscape (possibilities) awaits us if we continue to grow. Please look forward to that sense of expansion in the future.

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