Incorporating sound in simulations

In this paper, we raise the questions: how could sound influence the usability of simulations? How could sound influence the learning of simulation creation? How could sound support processes like verification? We argue that sound can support learning by relying on music/sound cues' emotional engagement on users and verification by providing insight into the correctness of simulation execution during runtime. For instance, sound cues could indicate when certain events occur and if processes in a simulation are operating within their specifications. We explore potential benefits and challenges posed by incorporating sound into DES models. Many perceived challenges of this incorporation overlap with known visualization challenges for conveying information during runtime, as both cases deal with conveying sensory stimuli. We present conceptual examples and report on ongoing efforts to integrate sound into a DES simulation environment.