by Lay -

The remembrance of the dead pt.1

During the peer review, the idea raised to compare the remembrance of the dead of “my” culture to others. With that I want to preface, that I am not religious, I just grew up conservative Christian. In the future I will refer to the personification of death “Grim Reaper” so when talking about death, it refers to people that passed.

Samhain

The Celts believed in an afterlife, with souls journeying to an Otherworld sometimes called “Tir na tSamhraidh” or “Land of the Sumer”. They believed that once a year, on Samhain, the boundary between this world and the Otherworld opened. Samhain marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter, and began when the sun set on October 31st. The festival included a feast celebrating the harvest and the temporary abundance of food.

Samhain was a major Celtic festival marking the new year and served important administrative purposes, like a mix of Tax Day and Halloween. People gathered at Tara for feasting, games, debt repayment, and trials, and all home fires were replaced with embers from a sacred Druid bonfire. Samhain also appears throughout Celtic mythology as a night when the barrier between worlds weakens. In one tale, the Fomorians demand a cruel Samhain tax until divine heroes drive them away. Another story tells of Angus Og, who finds his dream-lover transformed into a swan each Samhain, and joins her by turning into a swan himself. The hero Finn mac Cumhaill defeats a magical attacker who burns Tara every Samhain, and in the eerie tale of Nera, a man follows a corpse into the Otherworld and returns just in time to stop a future fairy attack.

Allerheiligen / All Saints’ Day

First, a personal story (which I had to dig for A LOT to find stuff on the internet): I didn’t grow up with Halloween, but with “Heilignstrizlfedern”. Kids from my (really small) village meet on the 1st of November at 5 a.m. in the village centre and walk together from house to house singing “Gelobt sei Jesus Christus, wir bitten um ein’ Heiligenstriezel”. They get sweets from each house and leave by saying “Vergelt’s Gott, Allerheilgen”. At the end, each kid gets an Allerheiligenstriezel. This is a tradition I haven’t seen anywhere else, however in the research I found that something similar, but with different names like “Striezelbettler” or “Krapfenschnaggeln” is done throughout Austria.

https://www.tirol.tl/de/highlights/brauchtum-kultur/krapfenschnappen

https://bauernladen.at/artikel/regionalitaet/fur-striezelbettler-und-verliebte

The Heiligenstriezel, which is a braided yeast bread, apparently originated from an old tradition, where the widow’s hair was braided, cut off and burned with the deceased husband. The hair then got replaced by the braided bread.

https://www.hager.co.at/warum-es-zu-allerheiligen-einen-eigenen-striezel-gibt/

After that, at around 3 p.m., there is the “Totenmesse” or “Requiem Mass” which is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased. The theme of sorrow and grief was made to emphasise the whole community’s worship of God, in which the deceased is entrusted to God’s mercy. After the mass, there is a procession to the cemetery, where the graves got decorated with floral arrangements, wreaths, candles and existing plants were covered with fir branches, that symbolize the hope of eternal life. The cemetery turns into a sea ​​of ​​lights due to the candles or “eternal lights” which is a symbol for the presence of God.

https://www.steirische-spezialitaeten.at/brauchtum/allerheiligen-allerseelen.html

Halloween

Celebrated on October 31st, Halloween has become a heavily commercialized holiday in the United States, though it is rooted in earlier traditions such as Samhain and later Christian practices like All Hallows’ Eve. Modern Halloween revolves around costumes, trick-or-treating, house decorations, and themed parties. One of its most iconic symbols is the jack-o’-lantern. The tradition is based on the legend of Jack, a clever blacksmith who outwits the Devil. After Jack dies, he is denied entry to both Heaven and Hell and is forced to wander the earth with only an ember placed in a carved-out turnip to light his way. When Irish immigrants brought the story to America, pumpkins replaced turnips due to their abundance and larger size, creating the familiar glowing jack-o’-lanterns seen today.

Source

Morton, L. (2012). Trick or treat: A history of Halloween. Reaktion Books.​

by Indigo Tschurtschenthaler -

How environmentally friendly is street lighting in Graz?

illuminated billboard with a clothing shop ad at night in Graz
An illuminated billboard, Ankünder

Last week I researched dark sky places, this week I have taken a look at how light pollution is tackled in urban areas, specifically in Graz.

First of all, I researched national laws. The Tyrol Competence Center on Light Pollution and Dark Skies lists Austrian regulations on light pollution. As opposed to other EU countries, Austria has no explicit legal requirement to operate street lighting, but these can be derived from various standards and legal norms, such as:

  • ÖNORM EN 13201, Part 2-5 Road Lighting (2004), which lists standards used for planning public lighting systems in all EU countries;
  • ÖNORM O 1055 Road lighting – Selection of lighting classes – Rules for the implementation of CEN/TR 13201-1 (2017), which includes provisions for dimming during off-peak periods;
  • ÖNORM O 1051 Road lighting – Lighting of Conflict Areas (2007), which contains recommendations for lighs illuminating zebra crossings, roundabouts, car parks, etc.;
  • RVS (Guidelines and Regulations for Highways) 05.06.11 and 05.06.12, which includes limit values and criteria to avoid undesired effects of artificial lighting on drivers.

According to Energie Graz, which operates the public lighting system of the city, a total of 28,802 lights illuminated the city as of 2021. Due to the population increase and in order to improve the feeling of safety, in previous years the light system has been expanded by 21%, which corresponds to 98 lights per 1,000 inhabitants. One might think that this would have led to an increase in energy consumption, but actually it fell by over 11% between 2004 and 2021, thanks to the conversion to modern LED street lighting. This has been the case of around 31% or almost 9,000 light points on streets, squares, parks, footpaths and cycle paths of Graz. Apart from having a significantly lower energy consumption, modern LED lights have lower maintenance costs, a long service life, reduced CO₂ emissions, and less light spill, contributing to less light pollution. 

LED street lighting also adapts to the needs of citizens in a smart way. For example, when footpaths and cycle paths are not used at night, the lights are dimmed to 10% of their usual brightness.

During the public meeting of the municipal council on 15 February 2024, it was mentioned that Ankünder GmbH, the leading provider of outdoor advertising media in Styria, had been switching off all illuminated advertising signs from midnight to 5 a.m., except at bus stops for a year.

During the course of the meeting, KPÖ municipal councillor Max Zirngast asked the city to collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce (WKO) to develop a concept to limit light pollution. It motivates Graz-based companies to minimise their light emissions from illuminated advertising and illuminated displays. Most parties voted in favour, but I have not been able to find follow-up information about the proposal’s realisation.

Energie Graz, being responsible for the public lighting in Graz, can be contacted to report faults and problems with street lights. This can be done via e-mail, call or by downloading the “Schau auf Graz” app.

In the next article, I would like to research more about this app and other ways to raise your voice about light pollution in Graz.

by karen.johannesen -

A short survey on consumers experience and thoughts on Street Newspapers

Last week we looked at interviews from street magazine sellers, identifying their experience with selling the magazine, their habits, location and interactions. This week we will look at possible customer behaviours. In order to investigate this I created a survey that I spread on platforms such as discord and WhatsApp, and the survey was open for a time period of five days. The survey only had one demographic question (nation), and consisted of only multiple choice, but with the option of answering “other” where it was deemed natural.

The survey involved the following questions:

  • Where are you based/located?
  • Have you bought one or more Street newspapers where you are located?
  • (If yes)
    • Why did you buy it/them?
    • Where did you buy it/them?
    • Did you read the magazine(s)?
    • Did you enjoy its/their content?
      • (if yes) What did you enjoy about them?
  • (If no)
    • Why not?
    • Where do you mostly pass Street Newspaper sellers+
  • What would you like to see and read about in a Street Newspaper?
  • Does the design of the cover impact whether or not you consider buying a magazine? (any magazine)
  • Have you ever bought a magazine purely because of the cover? (any magazine)

Limitations

One limitation with the survey were the few demographic questions.

Results

There were a total of 13 submissions. The participants were located in Norway (n=6) and Austria (n=7). Out of the 13 submissions, only one participant had bought at least one Street Newspaper where they are located, this participant is currently located in Norway. The participant bought the magazine(s) due to two reasons; “I wanted to help/support” and “The seller was friendly”, but the participant did not read the magazine(s). The magazine(s) were bought “Outside the metro/trainstation/etc.”, “Outside a grocery store” and “On a busy street”.

As for the rest of the participants who have yet not bought a Street Newspaper, the number one reason was that “I am not interested in reading magazines” (n=6). Reasons number two were “Don’t know” (n=3) and “The magazines do not look interesting” (n=3). Following up is the answers “I never have time to stop” (n=2) and two replies to “Other” were that they had not noticed or been approached by a seller, “I am not sure who gets the money” (n=2), and “I felt annoyed” (n=2). Lastly we have “I am not sure what they will use the money on” (n=1), and one answer to “Other” being that they were scared by the people selling them “especially the drug addicts”. Most of these participants pass Street Newspaper sellers “Outside the metro/trainstation/etc.” (n=7) or “Outside a grocery store” (n=4). Others were “Outside a mall” (n=3), “On a busy street” (n=2), “Near a tourist attraction” (n=2), “outside of university” (n=1), and “Don’t remember” (n=2). 

Getting to the results of the participants’ thoughts we will first look at what they would like to see and read about. Most would like to read about “Art & Culture” (n=6), following up with “Hobbies” (n=4) and “Posters to rip out” (n=4). Others were “The people selling the magazines” (n=3), “Nature” (n=2), “News & Politics” (n=2), “All of the above” (n=2), “Sports” (n=1), and one participant said they “wouldn’t”. Nine of the participants said the design impacts whether or not they consider buying a magazine, while eight also said they have bought a magazine purely because of its cover.

Discussion

The results of the participant who bought the magazine aligns with some of what was said in one of the interviews that were discussed last week. This comes to show that some people do in fact buy magazines purely to support the seller, but do not actually read the magazines themselves. 

When it comes to participants’ reasons to not buy a Street Newspaper, the primary reason was that they were not interested in reading magazines. What the reason for this is is not clear, there could be many reasons, for example general uninterest or a reflection of the decline in reading for fun (Lee, 2025). Some weren’t sure who gets the money, which displays a general lack of knowledge about the Street Magazines. A few also mentioned some uncertainty about where the money would be spent or fear from the sellers, which could have a connection to the lack of knowledge discussed in previous blog posts that can be associated with homeless and drug users (Barse, 2017). Two participants also felt annoyed, which could be a result of sales tactics, or personal frustration. An interviewee from the previous blogpost mentioned the importance of not nagging the potential customers (Skyrud, 2025b). One interesting answer was that the magazine did not look interesting, assuming they did not take the time to do more than look at the cover. We could link this to the last two questions regarding the thoughts around magazine buying behaviour. Over half of the participants said the cover impacted their consideration of buying a magazine or directly made them purchase a magazine. In the previous blogpost it was also mentioned how one seller noticed a magazine with a hand drawn cover sold better than the others (Skyrud, 2025a). 

The participants of this survey would preferably like to read about art and culture in Street Newspapers, with hobbies following closely and some would also like some posters to rip out. Only three participants would like to read about the people who actually sell the magazines, which may differ from the experience of one of the interviewees in the previous blogpost who had received feedback that people enjoyed reading about the sellers of the magazine (Skyrud, 2025a). 

Most participants would pass Street Newspaper sellers outside of public transport, hotspots and grocery stores. These are typically crowded places or where there are a lot of passerbys, aligning with the different location tactics mentioned in the previous blogpost. 

In short, to conclude, there does not seem to be much interest in reading magazines and if they were to read one it would be preferred for it to be about arts and culture. We see some similar observations from the interviews from last week and this week’s survey. One example being that it seems like the design of the magazine itself could have an impact on the number of sales. This tells us that the part of the service that could be focused on is the design of the magazine itself. There also seems to be a little lack of awareness behind the lack of interest in buying, which could also possibly be improved by focusing on creating awareness of what the service is and who the sellers are through other communication channels.

References

by alexandra.hesse -

Blog Post 4: Jakob Nielsen’s Ten Usability Heuristics

As mentioned in the previous blog post, I decided to examine my project through the lens of established UX heuristics. I chose Jakob Nielsen’s Ten Usability Heuristics and began interpreting them in a way that makes them applicable to my topic:

1. Visibility of system status
A system should keep users informed about what is happening through timely and appropriate feedback. In physical spaces, this can be implemented through clear, easily visible signage that shows users where they are and how they can move to their desired location. Real-time updates, such as waiting times, delays, and recent changes, should be displayed clearly on timetables, information screens, or digital boards to keep travelers constantly informed.

2. Match between the system and the real world
A system should communicate in a way that feels familiar and intuitive to users. This involves using established mental models to create environments that are easy to interpret. In the real world, this can be achieved through concise text, clear instructions, and comprehensible audio announcements. Additionally, pathways, iconography, and layout patterns should align with users’ expectations of how public spaces typically function.

3. User control and freedom
Users should be able to easily undo mistakes or exit processes when necessary. This can be interpreted quite literally in real-world environments: users need multiple accessible and clearly marked entry and exit routes. The ability to navigate freely and safely through a space is essential for maintaining a sense of control.

4. Consistency and standards
Consistency reduces cognitive load by allowing users to apply previously learned knowledge to new situations. In spaces, this may mean maintaining similar structures, layouts, and visual identities across different areas of a environment or even across multiple locations. Consistent color schemes, typography, signage design, audio cues, and general spatial organization help create a cohesive and predictable experience.

5. Error prevention
Systems should anticipate common errors and be designed in ways that reduce the likelihood of users making them. In public places, implementing this heuristic can be challenging due to the diversity of users and the unpredictability of human behavior. Nevertheless, strategies such as well-marked pathways, abundant signage, and clear audio guidance can help. Visual guidance that subtly limits or directs user choices may also prevent confusion or missteps.

6. Recognition rather than recall
Users should not have to rely heavily on memory. Instead, relevant information should be visible or easily accessible. Implementing this into physical spaces, may involve a thoughtful combination of visual, audio, and tactile cues placed strategically to support user decision-making. Careful placement is essential: the goal is to make important information visible while avoiding overwhelming users with unnecessary details.

7. Flexibility and efficiency of use
Systems should cater to users with varying levels of skill and experience. For physical environments, one might consider shortcuts or direct routes for experienced users, while providing clearly signposted pathways and supportive instructions for newcomers, or people with disabilities. This dual structure ensures efficient navigation for all.

8. Aesthetic and minimalist design
Design should avoid unnecessary complexity and visual clutter, highlighting only essential information. This heuristic is highly relevant to physical UX design. Elements such as color, lighting, object placement, spatial layout, and even sound can contribute to an environment that is visually calm and easy to interpret. Within signage systems, information should be organized hierarchically, so users can quickly identify the most important elements.

9. Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
When errors occur, information about them should be clearly communicated. In real-world scenarios, this could involve visual and audio feedback that describes the problem in plain language and offers instructions for resolving it. The messaging should be constructive, explanatory, and free of blame, helping users navigate disruptions confidently.

10. Help and documentation
Documentations might be necessary for complex systems. Make help resources easily accessible, searchable and focused on helping users accomplish their goals. While extensive documentation is not always realistic in physical environments, support should still be available. Digital systems, help points, and on-site staff can provide accessible and goal-oriented assistance to users when they require additional guidance (Nguyen, 2025).

These interpretations provide a foundation for adapting Nielsen’s heuristics to physical spaces. The next step will be to refine these concepts and apply them specifically to the context of train stations.

Information Gathered

By going through the heuristics step by step I’ve seen how many different challenges can appear in physical spaces and how deeply considered solutions have to be. This preparation will make it easier in the future of this project to apply the heuristics to actual challenge.

Next Steps

My next steps will focus more directly on German train stations and platforms. This will include investigating user behavior, spatial organization, signage systems, and potential pain points specific to railway environments. Based on this research, I aim to define the primary areas of interest for the project and identify opportunities for targeted design interventions.

References

Coughenour, A. (2025). User Experience in Physical Spaces. Von Orbis Cascade Alliance: https://www.orbiscascade.org/programs/dux/documentation/user-experience-in-physical-spaces/ abgerufen

Dengiz, C. (10. February 2024). The power of Physical User Experience Design (PUXD). Von LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-physical-user-experience-design-puxd-cansu-dengiz-zv9pe/ abgerufen

heurio. (2023). Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics. Von heurio: https://www.heurio.co/nielsens-10-usability-heuristics abgerufen

Kaarwan, T. (18. June 2025). How Does UI-UX Design Transform User Experience in Physical Spaces. Von Kaarwan: https://www.kaarwan.com/blog/ui-ux-design/ui-ux-design-transform-user-experience-in-physical-spaces?id=541 abgerufen

Nguyen, S. (05. June 2025). Applying Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics for Better UX Design. Von DevBlog: https://shiftasia.com/community/applying-jakob-nielsens-10-usability-heuristics-for-better-ux-design/ abgerufen

by valentina.lohr -

Die unsichtbaren Transitions am Beispiel One-Shot-Filme

Mittlerweile gibt es schon einige One-Shot-Filme bzw. -Serien, wie die letzten Blogposts gezeigt haben. Allerdings sind einige von ihnen nicht in einem Take gedreht, sondern die Schnitte sind durch sogenannte invisible cuts, also unsichtbare Schritte, getarnt. So vermitteln Filme, oder auch nur einzelne Szenen, den Eindruck einer einzigen, durchgehenden Einstellung, obwohl das Material aus mehreren Takes zusammengesetzt wurde. Diese invisible cuts dienen dabei nicht nur als technische Lösung, sondern sind auch ein stilistisches Mittel. Diese Form der Darstellung vermittelt ein anderes Gefühl von Zeit und Raum, während es gleichzeitig eine durchgehende Erzählform aufzeigt. 

Begriffsdefinition und Theorie

Der Begriff „invisible cut“ statt aus dem „continuity editing“, also dem Kontinuitätsschnitt. Unsichtbare Schnitte beschreiben die Technik, bei der Übergänge zwischen zwei Einstellungen für die Zuschauer:innen nicht mehr erkennbar sind. Das Ziel ist es, eine kontinuierliche, „echte“ Wahrnehmung von Handlung und Raum zu erzeugen. Dabei werden diese Schnitte absichtlich unsichtbar platziert, damit offensichtliche Schnitte nicht die Aufmerksamkeit des Publikums auf sich ziehen. Unter invisible cuts versteht man sowohl die einfachen Matching-Techniken, die einen Schnitt unsichtbar machen, als auch das Planen und komplexe Choreographieren der Übergänge während des Filmens. 

Invisible Cuts in One-Shot-Filmen 

Besonders One-Shot-Filme bzw. -Serien (oder einzelne Szenen) profitieren von dieser Art der Transition, da sie den Eindruck erzeugen wollen, dass die Kamera eine durchgehende Handlung ohne Unterbrechungen zeigt. Durch invisible cuts wird die Montage verschleiert und die narrative Kohärenz und Kontinuität wird beibehalten; die Aufmerksamkeit des Publikums bleibt bei der Handlung.

Die Illusion eines One-Shot-Films wirkt auf Zuschauer:innen immer immersiv und realitätsnah. Kontinuierliche Takes vermitteln Authentizität, Dynamik und auch emotionale Nähe zu den handelnden Figuren. Das wird entweder durch ein kontinuierliches Filmen hergestellt oder eben durch invisible cuts, die technische Unterbrechungen kaschieren. 

Gleichzeitig haben invisible cuts bzw. unsichtbare Transitions auch Vorteile im Bezug aufs Geld, vor allem bei Low-Budget-Produktionen. Durch präzise Planung und gezielte Kameraarbeiten lässt sich ein One-Shot-Film auch ohne teures Equipment o.ä. erzeugen, ohne dass die Professionalität verloren geht. Das eröffnet auch Newcomer:innen, Content-Creators oder Independent-Filmemacher:innen neue Möglichkeiten, etwas Neues auszuprobieren. 

Die Techniken hinter invisible cuts 

Es gibt natürlich verschiedene Techniken, die invisible cuts bzw. Transitions zwischen Takes ermöglichen. 

  1. Match-Cuts 

Ein Match-Cut nutzt visuelle Übereinstimmungen zwischen zwei Einstellungen, wie beispielsweise Farben, Formen, Bewegungen oder Kompositionen. Diese werden über den Schnitt hinaus synchronisiert. So wirkt der Übergang für Zuschauer:innen fließend. Match-Cuts gehören zu den klassischen Werkzeugen des Continuity-Editing und wird auch häufig bei One-Shot-Filmen eingesetzt. 

  • Maskierungen durch Objekte 

Eine weitere Möglichkeit der invisible Transitions ist das Maskieren des Bildes durch bewegliche Objekte. Dabei verdeckt irgendwas – eine Figur, ein Gegenstand, ein Element der Umgebung oder ein Gebäude – kurzzeitig die Kamera, wodurch ein Schnitt gemacht werden kann, ohne dass er auffällt. Solche Übergänge lassen sich auch in der Postproduktion umsetzen. Sie dienen dazu, räumliche oder zeitliche Sprünge zu kaschieren. 

  • Motion Blur 

Eine weitere Art der invisible Transitions ist das Kombinieren von schnellen Kamerabewegungen, wie Whip Pans oder Schwenks, mit Bewegungsunschärfe bzw. Motion Blur. Durch die schnellen Bewegungen verschwimmen Details, wodurch ein Schnitt weniger auffällt. Dabei ist allerdings auch Präzision gefordert: Kamerabewegung, Geschwindigkeit und Bewegungsrichtung müssen genau aufeinander abgestimmt sein, damit eine nahtlose Illusion erzeugt werden kann.

  • Planung 

Was natürlich einer der wichtigsten Faktoren für unsichtbare Übergänge bzw. Schnitte ist, ist die Planung. Bereits in der Pre-Production müssen diese invisible cuts geplant werden, damit Farben, Licht, Bewegungen und Bildkompositionen zwischen den einzelnen Takes übereinstimmen und konsistent sind. Außerdem muss es zum Storytelling bzw. der Narration passen.  

  • Einsatz von Editing-Softwares

In den heutigen Editing-Softwares, wie beispielsweise Adobe After Effects oder DaVinci Resolve, gibt es zahlreiche Werkzeuge, die es ermöglichen, invisible cuts bzw. Transitions zu realisieren. Masking, Motion Blur oder Matching-Werkzeuge erleichtern die nahtlose Umsetzung und senken die Risiken für technischen Schwierigkeiten erheblich. 

Narration und Storytelling von invisible cuts 

Wie bereits erwähnt erfüllen invisible Transitions neben den technischen Funktionen auch zentrale narrative Aufgaben. Sie vermitteln den Eindruck, dass alle Ereignisse in einem kontinuierlichen Raum und in Echtzeit stattfinden. Gleichzeitig bleibt die emotionale Bindung der Zuschauer:innen durch das Vermeiden abrupter Schnitte erhalten, während gleichzeitig Platz für kreative Inszenierungen bleibt. Einige Forschungen zeigen, dass sorgfältig geplante aber unsichtbare Transitions selbst bei geringem Filmbudget eine überzeugende Wirkung haben und die visuelle Qualität steigern können. 

Herausforderungen 

Trotz der viele Vorteile, die in diesem Artikel aufgezeigt wurden, gibt es auch einige Herausforderungen und Grenzen, die die unsichtbaren Transitions mit sich bringen. Dazu gehören ein hoher Planungsaufwand und viel Vorbereitungszeit, um alles perfekt umzusetzen und die Wirkung nicht zu verlieren. Gleichzeitig sind schnelle Bewegungen erforderlich, die wiederum Stabilisierung benötigen. Auch die Narration muss weiterhin verständlich bleiben – es ist eine Balance zwischen Unsichtbarkeit und Verständlichkeit, um die Zuschauer:innen nicht zu verwirren. Auch trotz der entwickelten Softwares bedarf es trotzdem an viel Know-How, Übung und Erfolg. 

Quellen

Pfenninger, J. (2014). Invisible Cuts in One-Shot Films. Liberty University. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1341&context=masters

Kween Media. (n.d.). Invisible Cuts: Video Editing Techniques for Seamless Transitions. Retrieved from https://kweenmedia.in/invisible-cuts-video-editing/

Content Fries. (n.d.). How to Create Seamless Transitions: Mastering the Art of Dynamic Video Editing. Retrieved from https://www.contentfries.com/blog/how-to-create-seamless-transitions-mastering-the-art-of-dynamic-video-editing

Dieser Text basiert auf Literaturvorschlägen von Perplexity pro und wurde von ChatGPT korrigiert. Alle Inhalte wurden von mir selbst auf Richtigkeit und Relevanz überprüft und der Text selbst wurde von mir erstellt.

by julia.trummer -

#4 Mental Models

As I realized that the problem might lie in the mental models of older people, I wanted to research this topic more deeply to understand what’s really behind it.

The mental models of technology held by elderly individuals differ significantly from those used by younger generations and software designers, largely due to their unique past experiences, cognitive capabilities and learning processes. [1]

Conceptual Models of Interaction and Interfaces

Older adults’ conceptual models of user interfaces and human-computer interaction, are generally influenced by their accumulated knowledge, skills and past experiences. This results in models that often diverge from modern application design:

  • Linear, Text-Based Prototypes (Storytelling Approach): Participants, particularly in the beginners group but also evident in the advanced group, demonstrated a tendency to produce linear, text-based prototypes resembling the transcription of a storytelling session rather than screen-based, UI-oriented solutions. [1]
  • Difficulty Separating Frontend from Backend: Seniors struggled with the abstract concept of application design by finding it difficult to separate the frontend from the backend (technical implementation) and the possibility of designing them separately.[1]
  • Focus on Detailed Wording and Politeness: When discussing UI elements, seniors often paid immense attention to the wording used in the interface and thoroughly debated it.[1]

Conceptualizing System Functionality

When interacting with or designing technology, the elderly’s mental models reveal specific patterns regarding scope and detail:

  • Over-Generalization and Scope Limitation Issues: Both groups found it challenging to prioritize usage scenarios and limit the scope of their solutions to address only the most important use cases.[1]
  • Focus on External Familiarity: Novice technology users, when designing an ATM interface, first attempted to recreate the interface based on the limited knowledge they had about real ATMs (e.g., from observing younger people use them) and only later tried to design their own solutions.[1]
  • bsence of Error Handling in Models: While focusing heavily on wording and usability issues they deemed relevant (like card insertion direction), seniors generally did not consciously look for corner cases or pay much attention to error handling (e.g., providing a way for the user to undo an action) in their prototypes.[1]

Understanding Abstract Concepts and Tools

  • Struggles with Abstract Design Concepts: When learning UI design, seniors often struggled with abstract concepts.[1] (What are abstract concepts?)
  • Confusing Similar UI Elements: Older adults may not grasp different contexts and thus confuse similar UI elements (e.g., the search and address fields in a web browser). [1]
  • Viewing Prototyping Tools as Graphic Editors: Even after instruction, at least one senior viewed the prototyping tool (Adobe XD) as a graphics editor rather than a prototyping tool that connects interactive screens.[1]

Sources

[1] D. Orzeszek et al., ‘Beyond Participatory Design: Towards a Model for Teaching Seniors Application Design’, arXiv [cs.CY]. 2017.

[2] L. Kane, “Usability for Seniors: Challenges and Changes,” Nielsen Norman Group, Sep. 08, 2019. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-for-senior-citizens/

[3] 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, 2018.

[4] J. Nielsen, “Usability for Senior Citizens: Improved, But Still Lacking,” Nielsen Norman Group, May 28, 2013. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-seniors-improvements/

[5] Thefinchdesignagency, “Building User Trust in UX Design: Proven Strategies for Better Engagement,” Medium, Feb. 05, 2025. https://medium.com/@thefinchdesignagency/building-user-trust-in-ux-design-proven-strategies-for-better-engagement-c975aa381516

by can.kuytak -

Physical Sound Layering Blog 3

Can Kuytak/ Blog 3

Intention

The main goal of this project is to bring the layering techniques used in DAWs into a physical room setting. By placing sine tones and low-frequency textures in different corners, the installation lets listeners move around, changing the sounds they hear and how they engage with them. The room itself becomes an active part of the composition through natural acoustic effects like interference, standing waves, and phase interactions. This creates an immersive sound environment where each listener encounters a distinct mix of overlapping sonic layers.

Tasks Fulfilled by the Project

  1. Spatial Sonic Exploration: Demonstrates how sound interacts with architecture, creating zones of reinforcement, cancellation, and perceptually new tones.
  2. Dynamic Interaction Through Movement: Enables the audience to experience continuously changing sound based on their position.
  3. Minimal Material, Complex Perception: Shows how simple sine waves layered spatially produce rich acoustic textures without digital processing.

Main Goals

  1. Design a sonic environment where sine tones interact naturally through room placement.
  2. Reveal acoustic phenomena such as interference patterns, beating frequencies, and standing waves.
  3. Create a movement-sensitive installation where perception changes with listener position.
  4. Illustrate mechanical (acoustic) layering, demonstrating how physical space generates multi-layered sonic experiences.

Subtasks

  1. Frequency and Tone Design: Select sine frequencies and low-frequency textures; test small frequency differences to produce interference and beating.
  2. Speaker Placement and Room Mapping: Determine positions in corners, analyze reflections, and identify zones of natural acoustic layering.
  3. Acoustic Testing and Iteration: Measure how tones interact at different positions; refine frequencies, amplitudes, and placements.
  4. Environmental Refinement: Adjust speaker angles, levels, and minor modulations to optimize layering and spatial phenomena.

Sequence

Frequency selection

Speaker setup

Walk-through testing

Refinement

Final installation.

Methods and Framework Conditions

  • Information Needed: Basics of room acoustics, standing waves, interference, phase behavior, and frequency propagation.
  • Methods: Testing with sine waves, observing position-dependent changes, iterative refinement.
  • Existing Knowledge: Basic knowledge of sonic environment and sound design tools
  • Resources: Speakers, audio interface, tone generator software (DAW, Max/MSP, Pure Data), optional SPL meter.

Mechanical Layering Concept

By placing sine tones in different corners and allowing low-frequency textures near sources, the installation naturally produces physical layering:

  • Standing Waves: Certain frequencies amplify or cancel in specific zones.
  • Interference Patterns: Overlapping sine tones create perceptual beats and shifting sonic surfaces.
  • Spatial Filtering: Listener movement changes the balance between frequencies, producing dynamic layering.
  • Emergent Phenomena: New perceptual tones arise through acoustic interaction.

Unlike digital layering in a DAW, this mechanical layering is generated by the room itself, making each listener’s experience unique and the space an active compositional element.

Timeline Overview

  • Current Semester – Explore: Research acoustic phenomena, test sine tones.
  • Second Semester – Experiment: Build prototype, experiment with frequencies and speaker layout.
  • Third Semester – Product: Final installation, documentation of installation, prepare presentation.

Questions for Exploration

  • Which sine-tone interactions (beating, interference, modulation) create the strongest spatial presence?
  • How can modulation be used without losing the tone’s fundamental purity?
  • Which listener paths produce the most distinct dynamic layering experiences?
  • Which frequency combinations create the clearest spatial effects?
by meric.oeztuerk -

How an Immersive (3D) Mixing Bottleneck Inspired Me

After a decade of producing electronic music, I understood that a great mix is about creating a sense of space. When I transitioned into object-based audio (like Dolby Atmos), I encountered a paradox: While I could place a vocal perfectly in 3D space using precise coordinates, the next step getting the reverb right felt like stepping back into the Stone Age.

The Bottleneck of Spatial Incoherence

In spatial mixing, we use digital metadata (x,y,z) to define an object’s location. However, to make that object sound physically plausible far away, close, or high up the Reverb Send Level must be manually adjusted to match that coordinate.

I discovered that this manual adjustment was the core problem:

  1. Inconsistency: What sounds right in Scene A might be wrong in Scene B. Maintaining spatial realism across a two hour film or album tracklist became a massive, repetitive task.
  2. Subjectivity: The decision relied entirely on my ears, not physics. This meant spending creative hours tweaking parameters that should be calculated, not guessed.

The Revelation: If the “correct” reverb level is a function of the sound’s position and the room’s acoustics, it is an objective, solvable problem.

The Solution Concept: We could use AI (Deep Learning) to perform this complex, repetitive DRR calculation instantly. My thesis idea was born: Train an AI to map a vocal’s characteristics and its 3D position directly to the DRR-derived Reverb Send Level.

This project is the culmination of my journey turning creative frustration into a rigorous technical solution that aims to inject speed, consistency, and scientific backing into the art of spatial vocal mixing.

by elizabeth.trevinopadilla -

Overcoming the body awareness problem through empirical means: the layman’s approach 

In the past blog post, I talked about scientific studies that proved that externalizing the internal sensations of proprioception through sound and sight helped increase athletic performance and artistic expression. 

However, this week, I decided to take a different approach to answering the question I proposed 2 blog posts ago: have there been experimental tests to try to overcome [learning body and silk awareness off the ground] in a different way? 

Instead of looking to scientific papers, I turned to my aerial silks colleagues, conducting informal group and individual interviews (n=10(+1) participants) that yielded interesting results. I asked them if they ever experienced the problem of trying to both communicate and understand body awareness and proprioception in a new figure, and what they empirically found to be solutions to this. 

One participant (female, 38, Austrian) said she had a lot of problem differentiating left from right (even in normal life). Since this participant knew how to sew, she created her own unitard she uses for training, in which one half of the body is blue, and the other half is red. She also created one for her daughter (female, 7, Austrian), who is also learning silks and has the same problem. The participant cited that both her and her daughter have found success with this method, as it’s easier to both see and communicate if they have the correct leg and arm placements when learning a new figure. 

Another participant (female, 36, Mexican) is a teacher, and says she takes magnetic bracelets to class. When she finds students struggling with body orientation, she gives these bracelets to them and asks them to put them on one side of their body. This way, when they’re up in the air, she can refer to left and right as “the side with/without the bracelet”. She also explains that in her 7 years of teaching, she has found that with every new student, she learns different ways of explaining the same figure, since everyone has their own understanding of their body in space. However, she mentions that since she’s very cautious, she makes sure that every student first feels comfortable doing new figures close to the floor, and then she tells them they can finally try them out higher up. Her teaching assistant (female, 24, Mexican) echoes this sentiment, and adds that when she herself learns new figures, she likes to analyze and experiment different ways to get in and out of it while she’s on the silk, rather than in theory outside of it. 

A second teacher (female, 33, Slovakian) had a completely different experience. In her words, some people just aren’t meant to be aerialists, and if they can’t learn through copious practice then maybe it isn’t for them. Her approach to teaching proprioception centered more around diligent practice and repetition rather than finding novel ways to teach, which she says has worked for her students. She also incorporates “floorial” (aerial on the floor) exercises at the beginning of her workshops, to increase artists’ body awareness and get them in tune with the silk.  

One student (female, 25, Austrian) said she would like to be able to have a video of the figure she’s referencing while she’s in the air, for example by projecting it on a wall. However, another student (female, 26, Austrian) said she wouldn’t like that, since she would still struggle with orientation if she’s upside down. This student also said she prefers communicating with references relative to her position (e.g. “the free leg” or “the upper arm”), instead of left and right. A third student (female, 23, Austrian) contradicted this sentiment, as she said, “my right leg will always be my right leg, and the upper/lower reference confuses me”. Both of these 2 last students, however, agreed that most of the time, while being in the air, they move one leg/arm slightly and ask, “this one?” to confirm if it’s the correct one. 

Two students (female, 33, Mexican; and female, 42, Mexican) echoed the same sentiment: they first watch the teacher do the figure, and then watch someone else. The first student (33-year-old) said she repeats the steps verbally to the teacher to confirm, while the second one said she likes to take a video of the demostration in order to watch it multiple times. The second student says, “When I’m on the silk, after the first two or three steps, I find it difficult to relate what I saw in front of me to what I have to do when I’m the one who’s tangled up. I take the steps I can and go back to watch a recording.” What’s also interesting to note is that this second student separates new figures into 2 categories: hard mental process and hard corporal process. She says, “When the physical corporal process is complicated and not just the mental one, then there are other challenges, which I usually address with repetition. Front balance, for example, I added to the preparations/warm-up to better position my hands, support myself, etc. The same goes for the double bracelet (unstandardized name).”’ 

Finally, a third teacher (female, 39, Ukrainian), while teaching a new figure, said “the first time you just do something, and then after you can figure out what to do.” This directly contrasts the teaching philosophy of the Mexican teacher interviewed, who is more methodical and splits up each figure into smaller steps, always on the floor, before allowing students to try something new in the air. 

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Source: own interviews.