Exercise 2: Sonification 2019

We are very used to communicate through physical properties, screens, graphics and images - but sound is often forgotten. For this course we are going to turn that upside down. You are given a [ chose your own color ] cube. You can add what ever sensors and actuators to it but are not allowed to change its appearance (no visual affordances). The goal is that your cube can communicate its function only through sound. A person who has never heard of your project should be able to find out what it can do without any further explanation.

What to do

• Develop a purpose for your cube. 
  • What functionalities/services does it provide? (what is its function?)
  • What kind of processes are going on inside the cube? 
• How should the interaction with your cube feel? Is there an emotional arc?
• Create a sonic moodboard
• Develop multiple scenarios of how the cube could be approached, touched, moved and how it reacts to it. 
  • Proximity
  • Elevation
  • Loudness
  • Brightness
  • Acceleration
  • Orientation
  • ...
• Build a Wizzard-of-Oz setup that allows you to test your ideas
• Validate your concept trough user testing 
  • invite a number of people (one after the other) to try out your cube
  • play the interaction sounds in sync with the test-users actions
  • record the user test (video + audio)
  • ask the users what worked for them and what didn't. How did they feel? (document)
  • analyse the recordings 
  • define lessions learned (what worked, what didn't)
  • improve your concept and your sounds
  • do this iteration as often as possible!
• Plan your functional prototype
  • what kind of sensor-data do you need?
  • what kind of logic do you need to program?
• Start building your functional prototype and keep evaluating your concept and sounds through user tests while you do it! 
• Do the same usertests: review - improve - iterations with your functional prototype

You can use any sound you can find on the internet. If you find sounds that are not in the public domain or free of licence you can use them for the screening in class but have to be really careful when putting it on the web. Self recorded sounds are much appreciated.