This Startup Wants to Build a Better Microwave Beep
Sonic-branding studio Starling is exploring ways to improve the sound of microwave beeps without increasing hardware costs. By using software to manipulate existing piezoelectric buzzers, they aim to replace harsh, repetitive alarms with more pleasant audio interfaces.
Why it matters
This project addresses the intersection of industrial design and user experience, seeking to improve common household interactions through software innovation.
For decades, nearly every microwave has sounded the same. We’ve all grown accustomed to the loud, piercing, alarm-like beep that plays whenever you press a button or the timer hits zero. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Starling, a new sonic-branding studio founded by sound designers Joel Corelitz and Colin Coogan, is working on a way to upgrade microwave sounds without replacing the cheap hardware already inside them.
The studio helps companies develop sonic strategies, interface sounds, branded music and audio logos. Collectivley, Corelitz and Coogan have previously worked with clients like Netflix, Sony and Microsoft.
The company’s Instagram page is also filled with demos of how the pair would redesign the startup sounds for different devices and apps, and this month, they turned their attention to microwaves.
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