History and variations of Lindsay's wheel of acoustics: From a nested pie chart including words to a drawn acoustics world

Abstract

In 1964, Robert Bruce Lindsay introduced “The Science of Acoustics,” a graphical representation that has become popular and is often called the Wheel of Acoustics. This communication first recalls the historical context and initial versions of this representation. Adaptations to its original design are then introduced. Some follow the idea of a wheel representation but focus on specific acoustic domains or perceptual descriptions of sound. Other adaptations propose a slightly modified arrangement of the wheel's elements while including icons to illustrate covered topics. We introduce a wheel that blends realistic and iconic representations following a primarily hand-drawn and artistic vision. This visual tool can be used for acoustics teaching and popularization to improve audience engagement and provide more in-depth and concrete examples. The Drawn Acoustics World is provided in English and French versions, and also in a text-free version that can be used to adapt to any language.