by veronica.bergonzoni -

Making Plant Life Perceptible Through Technology

Introduction

How can home automation help make the invisible life processes of plants perceptible? Over the last few decades, both scientific research and artistic practices have shown a growing interest in plant life and in the hidden processes that regulate growth, health, and interaction with the environment.

Some of the most emblematic experiments combining technology, plants, and perception can be found in the field of music and sound. These works explore how biological signals from plants can be translated into audible forms, allowing humans to sense processes that are normally invisible.

Plants and music experiments

One of the most well-known examples is the musical project by Mort Garson. In 1976, he released the album Mother Earth’s Plantasia, a collection of electronic compositions created entirely with synthesizers. Each track was associated with a specific houseplant and was intended to accompany and support plant growth. [2] Although the album was not initially very successful, since it was not released for the commercial music market, it has gradually gained recognition among a niche audience as an early work of electronic music. [3]

Album cover of Mother Earth’s Plantasia. from: https://mortgarson.bandcamp.com/album/mother-earths-plantasia

In other experiments, plants have been used as actual musical instruments, or as sources of data that are transformed into music.

Composer Mamoru Fujieda, for example, worked with a bioelectric interface developed by botanist Yuji Dogane. This system, known as the Plantron, uses electrodes attached to plant leaves to measure changes in their electrical activity. These signals are then translated by a computer into MIDI data and converted into musical patterns using digital software.

Furthermore, Mileece, an English sound artist and environmental designer, gives a voice to plants by creating installations and performances based on generative music [4]. Her installation Soniferous Eden (2010) reflects her intention to create a bridge of communication between humans and plants, and even between plants themselves. In this work, plants become sensitive to one another and respond when humans touch the leaves of a neighboring plant.

MILEECE, how to translate plant signals into immersive soundscapes- from: https://clotmag.com/interviews/mileece-translating-plant-signals-into-immersive-soundscapes

Another notable example is Data Garden, a collective inspired in part by Mileece’s work. Their installation Data Garden: Quartet consists of four plants connected to galvanometers through electrodes attached to their leaves. The electrical signals collected from each plant are translated into MIDI notes, with each plant controlling a different musical instrument. [6]

From Artistic Experiments to Interaction Design

These experiments invite us to reflect on the possibility of linking sound to dynamic interfaces. Sound, in particular, is a powerful tool for turning biological data into a sensory and perceptible experience. In the field of interaction design, for example, biometric data collected from plants can become parameters that influence technological objects or interfaces.

Within a domestic environment, it would be interesting to integrate a musical or sonic layer into plant care. Following Garson’s early intuition, sound could be used to support plant growth and overall well-being, since research has shown that certain audible frequencies and musical patterns can support physiological processes in plants, such as nutrient absorption, photosynthesis, and protein synthesis [5].

Alternatively, a generative soundscape could be linked to the real-time condition of plants: a stressed plant could produce more tense or dissonant sounds or environmental balance could be expressed through harmonic and stable melody tones.

In this way, home automation systems could help make the perception of plants and their well-being more active and dynamic.

Reference

[1] HGB Leipzig, “Plantasia,” HGB Leipzig, n.d. [Online]. Available: https://www.hgb-leipzig.de/plantasia/planta_english.html. [Accessed: n.d.].

[2] R. F. M. Lêdo, Music with Plants: Cultivating Bonds Between Grade-Schoolers and Nature Through Sound Design, Master’s thesis, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/121890/2/346398.pdf. [Accessed: n.d.].

[3] “Mother Earth’s Plantasia,” Wikipedia, n.d. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Earth%27s_Plantasia. [Accessed: n.d.]. Wikipedia

[4] CLOT Mag, “Interview with Mileece: Translating Plant Signals Into Immersive Soundscapes,” n.d. [Online]. Available: https://clotmag.com/interviews/mileece-translating-plant-signals-into-immersive-soundscapes. [Accessed: n.d.]. clotmag.com

[5] S. Raga and others, “Effect of Music on Plants — An Overview,” n.d. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291086163_Effect_of_Music_on_Plants_-_An_Overview. [Accessed: n.d.].

[6] Data Garden, “Home,” Data Garden, n.d. [Online]. Available: https://www.datagarden.org/. [Accessed: n.d.]. Wikipedia

by julia.trummer -

#5 Accessibilty and UI/UX Design

In the context of technology use among the elderly, accessibility acts as a fundamental pillar of trustworthy design, a facilitator for independent living and a critical bridge between an individual’s diminishing physical or cognitive abilities. [1]

The Foundation for Trust and Engagement

Accessibility is one of the four foundational pillars, alongside consistency, transparency and security that build user trust. For elderly users, a lack of accessibility leads to cognitive effort, frustration and hesitation, which are major barriers to trust. If users struggle to find information or complete tasks due to poor accessibility, their confidence in the platform diminishes and often leads them to abandon the technology entirely. [1]

Four foundational pillars of trustworthy UX

The four foundational pillars of trustworthy user experience (UX) design are consistency, transparency, security and usability. These elements work in coordination to create a seamless digital experience that helps users feel confident, in control and valued.

Accommodating the “Aging Barriers” (MOLD-US Framework)

Accessibility is the primary method for addressing the physical and functional barriers inherent to the ageing process. The MOLD-US framework identifies four key categories where accessibility is crucial:

  • Perception (Vision and Audition): Accessibility features must compensate for the decline in the ability to resolve detail, focus on close objects, and detect contrast. [2]
  • Physical Ability: Aging often leads to slower reflexes, stiffer joints and tremors. [2]
  • Cognition: Because older adults process fewer bits of information at a time, accessible design requires minimizing friction and reducing the number of steps to complete a task. [2]
  • Motivation: If the benefits of a technology are not easily determined through an accessible interface, users become frustrated and unmotivated. [2]

Promoting Independent Living and “Aging in Place”

The primary objective of technology for the elderly is to enable them to continue their daily lives independently for as long as possible. Accessibility plays a vital role here by:

  • Resolving Mobility Gaps: For elderly individuals with limited mobility, accessible technology reduces the need for difficult travel for medical treatments. [3]
  • Inclusive Design aims to create designs that are flexible enough to be usable by people with various functional limitations, thereby assisting and prolonging independent living.[3]

Influencing Attitudes Toward Specific Technologies

In studies of elderly Austrians, accessibility specifically in the form of functional support was found to drive positive attitudes.

  • Support and Health Devices: Technologies such as personal alarms and tracking systems enjoy high acceptance across all age groups because they provide concrete, accessible help for health-threatening situations. [4]
  • Compensating for Age Effects: Interestingly, while interest in entertainment technology declines with age, the interest in support and health devices does not. [4]

Sources

[1] Thefinchdesignagency, “Building User Trust in UX Design: Proven Strategies for Better Engagement,” Medium, Feb. 05, 2025. https://medium.com/@thefinchdesignagency/building-user-trust

[2] G. A. Wildenbos, L. Peute, and M. Jaspers, “Aging barriers influencing mobile health usability for older adults: A literature based framework (MOLD-US),” International Journal of Medical Informatics, vol. 114, pp. 66–75, Jun. 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2018.03.012.

[3] Y.-Y. Yap, S.-H. Tan, and S.-W. Choon, “Elderly’s intention to use technologies: A systematic literature review,” Heliyon, vol. 8, no. 1, p. e08765, Jan. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08765.

[4] N. Halmdienst, M. Radhuber, and R. Winter-Ebmer, “Attitudes of elderly Austrians towards new technologies: communication and entertainment versus health and support use,” European Journal of Ageing, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 513–523, Apr. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-019-00508-y.

by Luna Maru -

Life in a time before ours

We’ve taken a look at life on earth in the future, but what did the past look like? And more importantly, how were we able to piece it all together?

How Do We Know How Extinct Animals Looked and Lived?

Rough patches and flanges on bone can be used as a guideline for where muscles, cartilage and ligaments used to lie. Scratches and wear patterns on teeth can tell about the diet and possible feeding habits of the animal. Cutting thin sections through bones and putting them under the microscope, helps to determine the age of these animals and how fast they would grow up. Skeletons are only the starting point of our understanding, however.

There are a lot of things that can be inferred from preserved gut contents, eggs, nests, footprints, skin impressions and as well as fossilised feces. These can tell us about the diet, size, life cycle, habitat and etc. of these animals. Comparisons with living species is also key. Parallels can be drawn between living and extinct lifeforms with similar features and be studied in real time.

Reconstruction

Although the accumulation of discoveries has given palaeologists a pretty clear image on some extinct animals, many are still reconstructed with a rule-of-the thumb methodology. Things like soft tissue as well as integument, colour and behavioural elements are not often taken into account. This approach would look bizarre when applied to modern animals, but would need a certain degree of speculation when being applied. Which is why these shortcomings haven’t been addressed until recent years.

The Magdeburger Unicorn – a famously bad reconstruction

Filling in the Blanks

One problem with older reconstructions would be “Shrink-Wrapping”. Hereby prehistoric animals are stripped of any kind of soft tissue, showing every muscle and bone ridge and thus turning them into strange, skin-and-bone creatures.

How future historians might imagine a horse when lacking any kind of context about the animal and just going off its skeleton.

If soft tissue can’t get preserved, neither can skin, feathers or fur. This often makes reconstructions, especially of dinosaurs, lacking in any kind of plumage.

Cartilage is another point of discussion; it won’t get preserved, but can tell us about how an animal held themselves. Do they hold their necks up horizontally? Like a giraffe would? Or closer to the ground? Like a rabbit? And what can we conclude about their feeding habits through this? 

Though even here lies uncertainty. Given that many fossils are incomplete, we tend to fill the missing parts with whatever closest relative we can find. These won’t always be correct and maybe even give us false ideas about an animal. Anatomy based on what seems familiar and therefor logical to us can shape our image of these long dead animals and settle in as fact. And we could never know what’s the actual truth.

Developments

The recognition that birds are dinosaurs has played a major role in the reconstruction of dinosaurs in the last 20 years. Not only in physical aspects and behaviour, they carry a direct genetic legacy of their dinosaurian ancestry. They possess genes that can transform bird beaks back into more dinosaur-like snouts, or stimulate chickens to form teeth.

These efforts in genetics have already produced some impressive findings and I imagine they will continue to do so in the future. While a lot of questions about prehistoric life will probably never be answered, we are closer than ever to understanding more about it.

Sources

by alexandra.hesse -

Blog Post 6: Observations at German train stations

Observation in Augsburg and Hamburg

While travelling from Augsburg to Hamburg I was able to conduct primary research and observe the user behaviour, the spatial organization, the signage system and potential pain points on those two sites.

User behaviour

By observing travellers, conductors, and visitors at the two selected train stations, several differences in user behaviour and atmosphere became apparent. At Hamburg Main Station, people generally appeared stressed and in a hurry. Many travellers were running or rushing toward their platforms, contributing to a fast-paced and tense environment. The noise level was noticeably high, caused by constant conversations, shouting, phone calls, frequent announcements, and the general soundscape of the surrounding city. The user group was highly diverse, with people of different ages, body types, and cultural backgrounds, and I heard a variety of languages including German, English, and Turkish. Users engaged in a wide range of actions: standing, sitting, walking quickly, running, talking, and calling out to others. Despite these variations, their shared goal in most cases was to move efficiently from point A to point B using public transport.

In contrast, the atmosphere at Augsburg Main Station felt significantly calmer and less rushed. Although the noise level was elevated, mainly due to conversations, announcements, and construction sounds, it remained within a more tolerable range. The user group was still diverse in age and appearance, but linguistically I predominantly heard German. The observed activities resembled those in Hamburg, but with a greater emphasis on sitting, standing, and waiting, and far less running or shouting. Nevertheless, the fundamental goal for most users remained the same: to travel smoothly from one place to another via public transport.

Spatial organization

Regarding spatial organization and design, I observed that Hamburg Main Station is structured around a large bridge that spans across all tracks and connects the various entrances to the platforms. Access to the platforms is provided via stairs and elevators. Each platform stretches from section A to F, making them quite long. Both the platforms and the walkways on the bridge are relatively narrow, which contributes to a crowded and chaotic atmosphere, especially when people move in different directions at the same time. Overall, the space feels dark and confined, as the station is enclosed and only limited natural light enters the building. However, the design language throughout the station is coherent, and the areas belonging to the train company maintain a consistent visual identity.

In Augsburg, the platforms are connected through an underground tunnel that runs beneath the tracks. Users can access the platforms via stairs, escalators, or elevators. The platforms here are shorter, ranging from section A to D, but they are noticeably wider than those in Hamburg. Despite the increased space, their current condition is not ideal, which can make navigating them, especially with luggage, somewhat challenging. The overall environment feels more open compared to Hamburg, as the station is not fully enclosed and benefits from abundant natural light. However, due to ongoing construction work, the visual appearance and general atmosphere lack coherence at the moment.

Signage systems

Focusing my attention on the signage systems revealed notable differences between the two stations. At Hamburg Central Station, the signage system is generally well-designed and functional. The panels follow a coherent visual language in terms of layout, iconography, and color usage. However, I did observe instances where signs were misleading or where additional guidance would have been helpful but was missing. There were also attempts to incorporate directional cues on stairs and floors to indicate walking directions. Unfortunately, many of these markings were either worn down and therefore difficult to see, or unclear in their meaning, which reduced their usefulness.

In Augsburg, signage is used more sparingly, and there are no visible attempts to integrate alternative forms of way finding beyond traditional overhead signs. While the existing system is understandable and relatively clear, its minimal nature sometimes makes it challenging for users to locate specific destinations within the station.

Potential pain points

For the pain-point analysis, I began by reflecting on my own experiences before examining the difficulties I observed in other travellers during my time in the stations. One of the most significant pain points I personally encountered in Hamburg was the narrowness of the walkways leading to the platforms, combined with the absence of escalators. This made navigating the station, especially with luggage, physically demanding and time-consuming. Additionally, the platforms were packed, as many people tended to gather in the central area rather than spreading evenly along the full length. This made it difficult to stand without obstructing others and complicated the process of boarding the train.

In Augsburg, my main challenges were related to missing signage, which caused me to spend a considerable amount of time searching for the public restrooms, and the inconsistent design and varying quality of the platforms. These inconsistencies made traveling with a suitcase uncomfortable and sometimes impractical.

Beyond my own experiences, I also observed several potential pain points faced by other travellers. In Hamburg, many people seemed to struggle with reaching their destinations quickly due to the narrow pathways, opposing walking directions, and the long distances across both the bridge and platforms. Orientation was another notable challenge: some signage was missing, and the exact stopping positions of trains on the platforms were not always predictable, leaving passengers uncertain about where to wait.

A frequent issue appearing in Augsburg was the limited number of exits on the platforms. When trains arrived and passengers needed to disembark, congestion formed quickly, and people often had difficulty identifying the most efficient route to continue their journey.

Information Gathered

This week, I evaluated and analysed the primary data I gathered by conducting first-hand observations on two German train stations. The insight that I gained will need to be supplemented with more observations and also surveys, to get a more general and wholistic picture of the current situation at train stations around Germany. But already paying closer attention to components that are interesting for this project has helped me develop a more realistic look on the problem at hand.

Next Steps

My next step in this project is to define the primary areas of interest for the further research and identify opportunities for targeted design interventions. I also want to conduct further observations and surveys at one or two train stations and collect more closer insights into the experience of various people.

by emanuel.krizic -

Third Blog Entry: Possible Program Blend and Work Theme

In my last blog entry, I outlined a possible solution and workflow for creating mockups and
prototypes for multimedia installations within the scope of sound art and visual arts. I think
the best option, regarding prototyping, would be to blend multiple existing programs to
create something that covers all my needs. This blend could consist of Pyroomacoustics,
Blender, TouchDesigner, and some type of game engine. A game engine would work
particularly well, as it would allow us to explore digital versions of installations in first person.
With this approach, the soundscape can be further enriched, since we can more accurately
spatialize sound. Such an approach could work not only for mockups, but also for the
creation of standalone virtual installations open to the public.
I was also introduced to a new program for 3D modeling called Fusion 360, which offers solid
accuracy for tackling mechanical structures that can be used for sculptures and
installations. I first heard about this software during our excursion to ESC Medien Kunst
Labor, where we attended a talk by Jiří Suchánek, a Czech sound and media artist whose
philosophy of development and prototyping somewhat aligns with my own.
Regardless of which combination of programs I ultimately choose, I am considering creating
or assembling the software as a joint collaboration with Maximilian Bernhard, a sound design
colleague who has similar ideas in mind for his project.
Regarding the theme of the installation, I am currently considering two directions.
The first possible direction is the physical reimagining and sonification of digital artifacts.
The idea is to create unpredictable results in the digital domain by intentionally forcing
errors, glitches, bugs, and other malfunctions, and then reimagine them in physical space.
Sound could be generated in a similar way and/or by using data derived from these errors as
parameters for sonification.
The second possible direction focuses on resources found in nature. I am particularly drawn
to working with water and its various states, especially ice. I have experimented with this in
the past by building a DIY hydrophone, which I placed in a container of water and then put
into a freezer. The results, however, were underwhelming. Although the hydrophone survived
the harsh testing, there was almost no noise or events to use as triggers as the ice melted.
Despite the initial test not being very successful, I still want to explore the sonification,
amplification, sculpting, and transformation of ice.
Another natural resource I am drawn to is trees, more specifically tree rings and tree bark. I
developed this concept during my previous studies, where we were tasked with creating our
own concept for a music algorithm. The idea was to study and collect data on how and why
tree rings are formed, and then generate digital tree rings whose parameters would
manipulate sound. Tree bark was intended to be used as a filter and a means of sound
categorization, based on its natural patterns.
While discussing the tree ring algorithm, I was reminded of another concept I created that
could also work well, the shushing room. This interactive sound installation would consist of
multiple devices, each equipped with its own microphone and speaker. When the incoming
signal exceeds a certain loudness threshold, the device would play a randomly selected
audio sample from a library of recordings of people saying “shhhh,” “shush,” “shssshsh,” and
similar sounds. The goal would be to create a kind of game through these interactions: when
a sample is triggered, the lights in the room would turn off, disorienting the audience and
encouraging them to be more mindful of the noise they produce.
Overall, I am currently gravitating toward the exploration of digital glitches and their
reimagination in physical space, however, I remain open to exploring other ideas as well.

by emanuel.krizic -

Second Blog Entry: Personal Project Idea

Since my last blog entry, I’ve done an overview of the university work I’ll have this year and
found that I’ll have plenty of opportunities to work on music and sound production in
Ableton. As such, I’ve decided it would be best to focus on developing an outline for my
sound art projects, which would incorporate visuals related in conjunction to the audio
and/or vice versa.
I want to get familiar with some kind of software for simulation and spatial representation. In
other words, I want to learn a tool that allows me to create mockups of my future
installations. I would use this knowledge to create applications for project funding, open
calls, and event placements. Such an approach to my multimedia work will help me develop
and present ideas I otherwise wouldn’t have the funds or space for. This project would also
serve as a potential skill applicable in freelancing.
Part of the inspiration came from insights into some of the artists and their works featured at
the Klanglicht Festival, which took place recently. One of the talks was given by members of
Onionlab, a multidisciplinary studio, who showed how they use TouchDesigner for project
development.
Seeing as such an approach can be used in more commercial settings, I believe there is a
chance that the project I work on would therefore not only serve as a means to create and
showcase my art, but also potentially as a skill applicable in freelancing.
One possible progression of this project would be to first learn a suitable software (or
multiple, depending on what works best), then create an artistic concept, which would be
turned into a digital mockup. This digital mockup would include visuals and audio, their
interactivity in space, simulation of movement and light, as well showcase potential
materials which should be used for construction. After I am satisfied with the mockup, I
would either apply for funding If possible and perhaps develop a smaller-scale physical
version. Finally, I would build the full installation and/or sound objects and exhibit them
somewhere.
I don’t have an artistic concept in mind yet, but I’m gravitating towards something that
transforms and sonifies the space it occupies. One example of a simple yet effective
transformation can be seen in the work of Katja Muttilainen and her installation for “the
ugliest place in downtown Jyväskylä,” where she uses light to enrich an otherwise overlooked
location and shift the viewer’s perception of it. I discovered this work through the Klanglicht
lecture as well, where it was mentioned by curator and teacher Mia Kivinen. Of course, I can
also mention Move On, my installation exploring the topic of generative spaces, which was
created for a hallway of an exhibition. Another possible motif could be to use elements and
objects found within the broader concept of space.
All in all, I believe this project will not only serve as university work but also as a suitable
framework for developing future installations and sound sculptures.

by emanuel.krizic -

First Blog Entry: My Background and Interests

Music was always a part of conversation. I got introduced to it at a fairly early age through my
parents, who are both musically trained, with my dad being a jazz musician and my mom
having played in bands as a hobby. Some early memories that come to mind are being in the
car listening to Latin jazz records my dad made, dancing to Sting with my mom, and playing
on a small drum kit for children.
My formal music education started when I was seven, when I began taking piano lessons at
a music school. I played and studied classical piano for twelve years, completing both the
elementary and secondary levels of music education. However, the older I got, the more this
field started to feel like a sport rather than music first. Competition and perfection became
the standard, and I found myself enjoying it less and less. Maybe the teaching approach
didn’t work for me, or maybe I was simply lazy, but it didn’t quite feel like my calling. I was
always drawn more to the idea of creating my own music rather than just performing
someone else’s.
When I was around twelve, I got interested in music production. After watching a few
tutorials online about how to make the kinds of tracks I liked, I discovered FL Studio, a digital
audio workstation, or DAW for short, with a huge online community and endless learning
resources, most of which I found on YouTube. Just to clarify, this wasn’t meant to be an
escape from classical music, but rather a hobby that slowly but surely developed over time.
Things started picking up speed a couple of years later when I started high school. I was
studying in the field of media technology, where we learned about photography, videography,
animation, basic coding, and sound. It was here that, besides indulging in visual mediums, I
got to co-host a radio show, make jingles, record and edit a podcast, and learn some basics
regarding sound. On the side, I was actively practicing piano and producing music. My taste
shifted from EDM to trap and lo-fi beats, and soon I started rapping and singing with friends
and people from my local scene. We made a few songs together, and I even had a small
producer feature on a track by a somewhat popular rap group in Croatia.
Jumping in time to the end of high school, we had to create a final project since it was a
vocational school. For mine, I produced an instrumental EP that blended genres and styles I
liked and was familiar with, creating a musical story that went with it. My written paper
focused on the project itself and on FL Studio as a production tool. Around that time, I was
intensively preparing for music university, looking at a bachelor’s in piano. I wasn’t really
passionate about it at the time and as such decided to take a gap year to figure out what I
actually wanted to do next. While looking at the jazz program at Kunstuniversität Graz, I
learned about Sound Design and Computer Music as possible options. Both sounded
appealing, especially since in Croatia there weren’t many programs that focused on those
areas, and those that do exist were mostly centered around sound for film, which wasn’t
what I was interested in. So, I applied to the bachelor’s program in Computer Music and
Sound Art and graduated in October of this year (2025).
Studying there helped me grow both technically and creatively. I learned the basics of sound
synthesis, processing, and analysis, as well as acoustics, recording, and audio setup for a
concert. I was also introduced to SuperCollider, a programming language for sound, which I
used to make several projects that I showed and/or performed live for semester concerts. I
also did some collaborative work, like working with KUG Theater and playing live electronics
as part of a student collective.
At one point, I decided to uninstall FL Studio to force myself to learn Ableton, another
popular DAW. Instead, my focus shifted. As semesters went by, I developed an interest in
installations and sound art in general. I was definitely inspired to create something physical
after visiting the Venice Biennale, where I saw some amazing works like Can’t Help Myself by
Sun Yuan and Peng Yu (which isn’t really sound-related, but rather a kinetic sculpture) and
Diplomazija astuta by Arcangelo Sassolino, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, and Brian
Schembri, just to name a few. I quite enjoyed the imposing presence of such works and
wanted to create something physical and tangible, both as a learning experience and for
personal satisfaction.
My first installation was done as part of a class on sound art, in which I used newspaper as
an interactive, susurrating kinetic structure prone to change. This is when I also started
building my own contact microphones and hydrophones, experimenting with how sound
travels through different materials. A semester later, I made a stripped-down version of a
small speaker driver to understand its workings and possibly implement it into an iteration
of the said newspaper installation.
You could say I really shifted focus from producing music to understanding mechanics in the
context of sound and movement, which is further supported by the next big project I did. In
it, I took a Japanese water sound sculpture and re-contextualized it by using gear motors that
moved marbles inside a hollow tube, which then triggered sounds through DIY contact
microphones. The marbles acted as triggers, playing samples I had processed in Ableton. I
enjoyed seeing my work in motion, being physical and present, which as a little bonus
showed the amount of work that was put into it.
While finishing my bachelor’s degree, I applied for a master’s program in Sound Design at FH
Joanneum in collaboration with KUG, which I previously knew about while looking at possible
study programs I was interested in. I applied for a couple of reasons. I wanted a change of
environment and a program with a better focus on preparing individuals for future work and
a career in the field. Another reason was that I wanted to take what I learned from my
bachelor’s studies and combine it with my passion for making music, which was somewhat
lost along the way, not to mention my love for sampling in general, which is strongly
connected to sound design. Here, I hope I can use, further develop, and package my
knowledge. I am still unsure of what my next project will be due to the burnout from finally
finishing my bachelor’s. I do however know I will be spending much more time learning
Ableton and re-learning music and sound production in the way I find interesting and
rewarding. I am also open to creating more sound sculptures and works in space. If I am to
make more installations, however, I would first focus on learning software with which I could
make models and simulate results, as undertaking projects of a larger scale without funding,
which could be provided more easily by creating said models, just isn’t financially
reasonable.
In general, it is still early to know exactly what is next for me, but I’ll try to become a better
musician and artist, further explore and understand sound in its various forms, and gain
professional experience that will help me in the long run.

by anna.prass -

The Trimm-Dich movement as an example for successfull sport campaign

The Trimm-Dich movement was launched on 16 March 1970 as a campaign to encourage the general public to take up more physical activity with the slogan ‘Trimm Dich durch Sport’ (Get fit through sport). Jürgen Palm, long-time managing director of popular sports at the DSB, and sports physician Wildor Hollmann were particularly involved in this initiative. After the economic miracle, a prosperous society had established itself in Germany, in which obesity and cardiovascular diseases were on the rise. The aim was to counteract this situation through sport and exercise. Until then, sport had been strongly performance-oriented and was only practised in the context of competitions. The Trimm-Dich campaign succeeded in establishing popular sport. Older people, overweight people and less able-bodied people were also encouraged to exercise, and sport became a leisure activity for the first time. Within a few years, 9 million citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany were encouraged to take up active sports.

Why it was so successfull

The campaign’s great success can be attributed to the fact that it perfectly captured the spirit of the times. The 1972 Olympic Games in Munich sparked widespread enthusiasm for sport among the general public and contributed to the success of the Trimm-Dich movement. In addition, Germans had more free time available due to the reduction in working hours, which meant that a general change in lifestyle took place. The campaign was known to 94% of the total population and 99% of young people.

In addition to TV commercials, there was also a mascot, ‘Trimmy’, who was shown in various outfits and participating in a wide range of sports. To this day, Trimmy is the mascot of the DOSB, the German Olympic Sports Confederation.

The longterm effects of the campaign

The most visible effects of Trimm-Dich were the numerous fitness trails that were built in many places in the 1970s, modelled on the Swiss Vitaparcours: in Germany, there were around 1,500 Trimm-Dich facilities in the 1980s. At the same time, the first informal running groups were formed, which met outside of sports clubs to go running. The Trimm-Dich campaign initially caused concern among sports clubs, as they feared a decline in membership numbers. In the long term, however, the campaign led to clubs increasingly focusing on popular sports. They changed their programmes and set up non-competitive activities for the general public, families, children and women, which were geared solely towards exercise in leisure time. The Trimm-Dich movement had a significant impact on sports clubs as we know them today and was the catalyst for the fitness wave that continues to this day.

Sources

Image Sources

by michelle.hauptmann -

3. Emotional Design in Practice

The productivity continuous! And for once, I finally overcame my procrastination.

At least I think so… Let’s dive in!

In my previous blog posts, I introduced emotional design and explained why emotions play such an important role when we interact with products and interfaces. I also mentioned the three levels of emotional design described by Don Norman. In this post, I want to move a bit away from theory and talk about how emotional design shows up in everyday situations that many of us know very well.

When I started paying attention to emotional design, I realised how often design influences my mood without me even noticing. Sometimes it makes me feel excited, sometimes relaxed, and sometimes just annoyed enough to close an app or website immediately.

Visceral Design

aka “Love (or Hate?) at First Sight“

Visceral design is about first impressions. It is that very first moment when you see something and instantly have a feeling about it (vgl. Norman 2004, S. 19).

I notice this especially with book covers. When I browse through books in a store or online, I usually decide within a few seconds whether a book interests me or not. Some covers feel inviting right away. I cannot always explain why, but they create a certain mood that makes me want to take a closer look. This reaction happens automatically, without much thinking, which shows how strongly visceral design influences first impressions.

Source: https://www.dein-buchladen.de/media/image/product/30694/lg/guanzon-thea-the-hurricane-wars-2-a-monsoon-rising-hc.jpg

On the other hand, I have also experienced the opposite. Some posters or websites feel overwhelming in an instant. Too many colours, different fonts, a confusing layout. Instead of feeling curious, I feel stressed. In these moments, I often leave within seconds, even if the content might actually be useful. The first impression already ruined the experience.

Behavioural Design

Behavioural design becomes noticeable once we start using a product. This is where emotions like satisfaction or frustration show up very quickly (vgl. Norman 2004, S. 23).

A positive example I often think about is the onboarding experience of a new smartphone. Turning on a new device usually feels exciting, but it could also be overwhelming. Step-by-step guidance, clear instructions, and friendly messages make the setup process feel easy and reassuring. Instead of feeling lost, I feel supported and in control, which makes the whole experience enjoyable.

Source: https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/45294-88129-211026-WhatsApp-xl.jpg

A negative behavioural experience is something I know all too well. Apps or websites that do not work the way I expect them to. Buttons are hard to find, settings are hidden, or error messages appear without explanation. Even if the design looks nice, these moments quickly turn curiosity into frustration. And once I am frustrated, I rarely want to keep using the product.

Reflective Design

Reflective design is about how we remember an experience later and what meaning it has for us (vgl. Norman 2004, S. 38).

A very strong positive example for me is the video game It Takes Two. The game is designed to be played together and focuses heavily on cooperation and communication. What stayed with me was not only the gameplay, but the shared experience itself. I remember who I played with, the conversations we had, and how the story made us feel.

Source: https://www.playstation.com/de-at/games/it-takes-two/

Negative reflective experiences usually come from what happens after using a product. Poor customer service, hidden costs, or broken promises often leave a bad feeling. Even if the product worked fine, these memories dominate. When I think back, I mostly remember the frustration.

Thinking about these examples made me realise that emotional design is not abstract at all. It shapes how we feel in the first second, during use, and long after an experience is over.

For designers, paying attention to these emotional moments can make a huge difference. Emotional design can turn everyday products into meaningful experiences or, if done poorly, into something people want to forget as quickly as possible.

Literatur

Norman, D. A. (2004). Emotional Design. Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. New York: Basic Books.