A layered provenance and auditability framework defining how Harmonic Frontier Audio datasets are created, documented, and maintained over time.
The Proteus Standard establishes clear lineage from contributor to dataset, cryptographic integrity at delivery, and optional supplementary techniques such as acoustic fingerprinting for downstream identification and analysis. It exists to support transparent, defensible dataset creation and licensing—enabling high-fidelity audio datasets to be evaluated with confidence in commercial, research, and enterprise AI systems and withstand legal, compliance, and diligence review.
Proteus Standard™ White Paper (v0.9)
A detailed technical and governance overview of the Proteus provenance, integrity, and auditability framework.→ Download the white paper
Proteus is intentionally clear at the top level: every full HFA dataset is traceable to its source, verifiable at delivery, and supported by optional identification techniques—without relying on opaque, proprietary watermarking or downstream enforcement.
Every file is linked back to its recording session and capture context: contributor, instrument or technique, recording location and environment, microphone configuration, and production notes. This creates a human-readable provenance trail that supports audits, internal governance, and defensible use.
HFA delivers datasets with per-file hashes and manifests so teams can confirm that what they received matches what was authored. This supports security review, compliance workflows, and enterprise diligence— without requiring special tooling to benefit from it.
Proteus recognizes acoustic fingerprinting as an optional, supplementary technique that may support downstream identification and comparative analysis in disputed provenance scenarios. It is not required for Proteus alignment in v0.9 and is not relied upon for consent, provenance, or integrity guarantees—prioritizing transparent, reviewable signals over “undetectable” watermarking claims.
In practice: Layer I answers where did this come from? Layer II answers has it been altered? Layer III supports can we identify it later if needed? Together, they form a practical provenance and auditability foundation for model training and evaluation.
Proteus is designed to reduce the most common “unknowns” that slow adoption, trigger governance objections, or create downstream risk. Below are the failure modes it helps address—and the teams who gain immediate clarity when they see it.
Proteus is not a vague policy statement—it is delivered as concrete, inspectable artifacts that connect every audio file to its session context, support integrity verification at receipt, and document optional identification techniques where applicable.
Each dataset includes structured metadata that ties every file to recording sessions and capture context—contributor identity and permissions, instrument/technique taxonomy, recording environment and location, microphone configuration, capture format, and production/QC notes. This is designed to be human-readable and auditable, not opaque.
Delivery includes tamper-evident manifests so teams can verify that the dataset they received matches what HFA authored. This is especially useful when datasets move across internal storage, multiple teams, or long-lived training pipelines.
Proteus recognizes acoustic fingerprinting and similarity analysis as optional, supplementary techniques that may support downstream identification in investigation scenarios—leaks, disputed provenance, or suspicious audio. This layer is not required for Proteus alignment in v0.9 and is not relied upon for consent, provenance, or integrity guarantees.
Proteus is built to increase transparency and auditability—not to impose control. To prevent common misunderstandings, here’s what the Proteus Standard is explicitly not.
Proteus does not restrict how licensed teams use datasets inside their own pipelines. It is a provenance and integrity framework, not a control layer.
Layer II integrity checks are designed to work with standard hashing and signature verification approaches. Proteus does not require special tooling to benefit from it.
Proteus avoids marketing claims that imply perfect, irreversible watermark detection. Where used, Layer III relies on fingerprinting and similarity analysis as supplementary signals—aligned with realistic review and investigation workflows.
Proteus does not monitor your training runs, deployments, or downstream models. Any identification workflow is limited to cases where relevant audio is available for evaluation and is not an always-on tracking mechanism.
Proteus strengthens auditability and defensibility, but it does not substitute for your organization’s legal review, governance policies, or licensing terms.
Full Proteus deliverables apply to full datasets. Preview releases are designed for evaluation and may omit certain artifacts (e.g., signed manifests or optional fingerprint reference bundles) depending on tier and release status.
Frameworks like Proteus are rare not because they are conceptually difficult, but because they impose real constraints on how datasets are produced. Session-level provenance, rights documentation, structured metadata, and verifiable delivery all require slower capture workflows, tighter process discipline, and a willingness to trade speed and scale for defensibility.
In practice, most audio datasets are assembled for internal use, rapid experimentation, or closed systems—where these constraints are unnecessary. Proteus exists specifically for teams operating in regulated, commercial, or high-visibility environments, where provenance, auditability, and long-term defensibility matter more than raw volume.
Harmonic Frontier Audio built Proteus not as a marketing layer, but as infrastructure: a way to make high-fidelity audio datasets usable in real production systems without asking teams to rely on trust alone.
Proteus is delivered most completely on full datasets. Previews are designed for evaluation and may omit certain artifacts. The Suites (Foundations, Orpheus) describe how far beyond raw audio + core metadata the delivery extends.
Intended for fit checks: timbre, labeling structure, capture quality, and dataset relevance. Preview releases may omit signed delivery manifests and other optional artifacts used in full deliveries.
Delivered with full provenance documentation and integrity verification artifacts. Optional identification techniques may be included where implemented and appropriate. Designed to support governance review and enterprise diligence.
Proteus is designed so verification is straightforward, repeatable, and familiar to engineering and compliance teams. No proprietary platforms are required—only standard tooling and clear documentation.
Upon delivery, teams can confirm that the received audio and metadata match the authored dataset by validating cryptographic hashes against the provided manifest. This establishes a known-good baseline before internal use.
# Example (illustrative)
sha256sum -c hfa_manifest.sha256Signed manifests allow teams to confirm that the dataset and manifest were released by Harmonic Frontier Audio, and that the manifest itself has not been altered. This is particularly useful for enterprise intake and audit workflows.
# Example (illustrative)
gpg --verify hfa_manifest.sig hfa_manifest.sha256When datasets are mirrored, cached, or moved between teams, verification can be re-run to ensure that training and evaluation pipelines are operating on the exact licensed material—preventing silent drift or accidental corruption.
Layer III is not part of day-to-day training workflows. It exists for the moments when provenance becomes contested, or when a high-stakes decision depends on being able to assess similarity and lineage with defensible analysis.
A dataset (or subset) appears in an unauthorized location or is shared beyond licensed scope. Layer III supports investigation by comparing suspicious audio against HFA reference material—helping assess whether HFA source audio is plausibly present.
A third party claims a model or system contains audio derived from a particular source. Layer III supports a defensible response: similarity-based analysis, clear comparison methodology, and a record of what HFA authored and delivered.
In high-compliance settings, governance teams may require a clear answer to: “If something goes wrong, what is the investigation posture?” Layer III provides an escalation pathway that aligns with real-world review and audit processes.
Common questions from engineering, compliance, and procurement teams evaluating HFA datasets and the Proteus Standard.
Proteus is built for teams who need more than high-quality sound files—who need datasets they can document, verify, and defend across research, production, and enterprise environments.