Master thesis proposals
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TITLE |
DESCRIPTION |
| Sonification for prevention of shoplifting | In the project, you will build a prototype that uses sonification of interaction with goods in a store, and you test its appropriateness through an in-situ experiment with a focus group. Through for instance a focus group study or design fiction approach you identify one problem area to develop and test a prototyped solution for. You will need to adapt existing methods for sonification and apply theories of audio perception, and you will need to work with sensor technology such as RFID in addition to network protocols. General programming skills are helpful. |
| Web audio game design | A music puzzle game was previously made for Android and tested with hearing impaired to show positive effects of using this game for training listening. Here you will develop a sound/music-based game using Web audio technology, and test it with hearing impaired. Programming skills are essential. Some knowledge of music is welcome, but not necessary. The focus is on game design and testing. You will work with sound and music computing in real-time. The project has unquestionably elements of inclusive design and disability research. |
| The one-button instrument | Create a couple of prototype musical instruments using only one button that are capable of rich musical output. Evaluate performances and suggest design guidelines for interaction with simple interfaces. You will need programming skills, knowledge of musical instruments and playing (preferably first hand experience), and of usability testing. Suggested platforms for developing are Supercollider, Web audio, or Pure data. |
| Building the physical interface for an impossible drum machine | Hans Lindetorp has developed a provocative drum machine with irregular subdivisions of three beats, which again are divided in irregular threes. The task is to design and build a physical interface (although it might even be virtual or hybrid) that captures the concept laid out in the software part. This can have a range of possible solutions. Then, the interface must be tested with expert musicians and evaluated. Valuable skills are building physical interfaces, prototyping, programming, and running experiments with evaluations. |
| Fictitious Soundscapes: Designing urban sound environments of the future | The project aim is to develop and test an interface for creating soundscapes of a virtual urban city environment. The main research methods are participatory design with focus group for the sounds, and scenario-based design for the interaction task. The material can be samples, recordings, synthesized sounds or sonifications, and the interface is immersive audio with VR. For analyzing soundscapes, automatic feature extraction and, depending on the material, manual (music) content analysis are used. VR programming experience necessary. |
| The sound of wheelchairs in motion | The goal of the project is to create a musical instrument based on available technology that detects wheelchair movements, and partly to increase knowledge about music, movement and self-esteem among wheelchair users. The instrument is battery operated, small and inexpensive, can generate sound either with headphones or speakers, and can be customized with different compositions or sounds that can represent different mechanical and dynamic characteristics of the wheelchair. |
| The virtual reality guitar | In this project you will develop and test an immersive Virtual Reality experience involving a physical guitar. One part is to also process the sound according to some particular requirements. You will work together with a famous guitar museum and North Europe's biggest guitar festival. Experience of programming for VR is necessary, and experience with sound programming such as Supercollider or Pure data recommended. |
