Sonic Interactions: Design and Evaluation

2018/2019

Prerequisite/Recommended prerequisite for participation in the module

3rd semester

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

Hearing is one of the fundamental senses of the human perceptual system. Being able to under-stand how auditory signals are created and how they can be used as input or output devices in solving problems in interactive media is an essential element of the Medialogy education.

In this project module, students pose problems which include the design and implementation of systems being able either to analyze an auditory signal in real-time or to produce interactive auditory feedback. Such feedback is either created from scratch using sound synthesis techniques or obtained by manipulating recorded samples. Examples of such systems are an interface which is controlled by the human voice or an interactive installation where the sounds change according to users' motions, or a tangible sonic interface embedded with sensors.

The posed problem must be motivated, analyzed and its solution evaluated using a user-centred design approach.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

Students who complete the project module will obtain the following qualifications:

  • Must have knowledge about theories and techniques within audio design and computing
  • Must be able to understand basic concepts and terminologies in the field of sound design and processing
  • Must be able to understand how to evaluate the proposed solution
  • Must have knowledge of interactive sound

Skills

Students who complete the project module will obtain the following qualifications:

  • Must be able to analyze a problem and suggest a solution that uses relevant theories and methods from interactive sound design and computing
  • Must be able to program a multimedia system where sound and interaction play an important role (application)
  • Must be able to apply a human centered design approach to the development of audio artifacts
  • Must be able to identify relevant constraints and assessment criteria for a system based on audition. This relates both to the usability of the system, the technical aspects of the system and its ability to solve a problem in the field of medialogy (application)
  • Must be able to design and implement an interactive system where audio is used as either input and/or output, using relevant theories from the field of sound and music computing (synthesis)
  • Must be able to design, plan and conduct a quantitative experiment which assesses the proposed solution (synthesis)
  • Must be able to describe, communicate and argue the designed solution using proper terminologies and theories from the fields of sound and music computing and experiment design, both orally and in a written report (synthesis)

Competences

Students who complete the project module will obtain the following qualifications:

  • Must be able to select relevant theories and methods from the field of sonic interaction and apply these to solve a problem
  • Must be able to plan, structure, execute and evaluate a project within the field of sonic interaction (synthesis)

Type of instruction

Academically supervised student-governed problem oriented project work.

Exam

Exams

Name of examSonic Interactions: Design and Evaluation
Type of exam
Oral exam based on a project
In accordance with the current Framework Provisions and directions on examination from the Study Board for Media Technology:
Individual oral examination with external censor based on a written project report and a media-technological product plus an A/V-production that illustrates and summarizes the project. The as-sessment is performed in accordance with the 7-point grading scale.
ECTS15
Permitted aids
With certain aids:
See Semester Description
Assessment7-point grading scale
Type of gradingExternal examination
Criteria of assessmentThe criteria for the evaluation are specified in the Framework Provisions.

Facts about the module

Danish titleLydlige interaktioner: design og evaluering
Module codeMSNMEDB4101
Module typeProject
Duration1 semester
SemesterSpring
ECTS15
Language of instructionEnglish
Location of the lectureCampus Aalborg, Campus Copenhagen
Responsible for the module

Organisation

Study BoardStudy Board of Media Technology
DepartmentDepartment of Architecture, Design and Media Technology
FacultyTechnical Faculty of IT and Design