Abstract: A system is programmed and operated to perform a method of indicating health, status, or condition of a monitored target. In certain implementations, the method involves: obtaining at least one metric associated with the monitored target; determining a level of audio degradation to be applied to a source digital media file that conveys default audio content, wherein the level of audio degradation is determined as a function of the obtained at least one metric; modifying the source digital media file in accordance with the determined level of audio degradation, resulting in modified audio data; and controlling playback of the modified audio data to serve as an audible indicator of the health, status, or condition of the monitored target.