Papers by Mikael Fernstrom
Interactive Technology (IoT) smart parking system
Interactive Technology (IoT) smart parking system
Multidimensional scaling techniques (MDS) are a vibrant area of research with much development an... more Multidimensional scaling techniques (MDS) are a vibrant area of research with much development and advancement in last few decades. In this paper we focus on an interactive 2-dimensional interface for creating a similarity space for audio. Classical MDS techniques can place great demands upon participants overwhelming their sensory and cognitive abilities to make choices across such datasets using only pairwise comparison. We outline the results of an investigation to obtain multidimensional similarity ratings for a mixed sound collection containing both recorded sounds and synthesised sounds, and we describe briefly a computer application for collecting such data that reduces task demands by use of a 2-dimensional visual display with multistream audio for organising sound similarity and returns the results in the context of the whole stimuli set.
We developed an installation for a public environment and casual users where auditory display was... more We developed an installation for a public environment and casual users where auditory display was a significant element to facilitate user interaction. We used an iterative design process, starting from simple onomatopoeic representations, to complex sound object models in Pure Data. The system was evaluated at each stage, from the lab to the final public setting. The problems addressed covered the representations of left-right, up-down, and the amount of movement by the user or groups of users. In addition to this, it was important that the auditory display would attract attention when users were within control range of the system, i.e. an affordance that invited and allowed users to discover functionality.
New Interfaces for Musical Expression, Jun 1, 2004
This paper begins by evaluating various systems in terms of factors for building interactive audi... more This paper begins by evaluating various systems in terms of factors for building interactive audiovisual environments. The main issues for flexibility and expressiveness in the generation of dynamic sounds and images are then isolated. The design and development of an audiovisual system prototype is described at the end.
We explored the possibility of using ambient auditory display in the context of sonification of w... more We explored the possibility of using ambient auditory display in the context of sonification of water toxicity. We looked at the existing work procedures carried out in an aquatic toxicity laboratory and developed a design that could replace or complement existing periodic visual monitoring of samples. The design was further developed as an art-science installation in a public exhibition in the Science Gallery in Dublin, Ireland, where visitors experienced through hearing the life and death of small aquatic crustaceans in real-time.
Where's That Sound? Exploring Arbitrary User Classifications of Sounds for Audio Collection Management
In this paper the development of software for the creation of Bliain Le Baisteach is described. O... more In this paper the development of software for the creation of Bliain Le Baisteach is described. Over 77,000 datapoints were received from the Irish meteorological service. A neural network was designed and trained with 1,000 traditional Irish melodies. The data was then partitioned according to the four geographical provinces of Ireland and made to stimulate the network, generating the different parts of a score for the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
This paper discusses an exploration using a concurrent auditory displays for awareness and lightw... more This paper discusses an exploration using a concurrent auditory displays for awareness and lightweight interactions. The design of this type of system and comparisons to existing awareness tools are discussed. The auditory display system in this exploration was designed to explore, using concurrent auditory icons, the issue of group awareness. The sounds used in this auditory display where selected based on their identification derived from individual's personal constructs using the Repertory Grid Technique. The system was designed to create a 'soundscape' of concurrent ecological sounds mapped to the individual's availability and to the group activities, respectively. In this paper we present an auditory display using auditory icons to create an interactive soundscape that support opportunistic interactions and awareness. Presence and activity are conveyed by changes in the soundscape. Our goal in this work is to explore the potential of this type of system for supporting awareness and lightweight interactions.
Look before you leap: Exploring the challenges of technology and user experience in the Internet of Things
2017 IEEE 3rd International Forum on Research and Technologies for Society and Industry (RTSI), Sep 1, 2017
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new concept that is growing in interest amongst researchers, bu... more The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new concept that is growing in interest amongst researchers, businesses and the end users. It engages and stimulates certain fundamental traits of human behavior — our need and desire to interact, to exchange ideas and to communicate with the surrounding environment. While the IoT potentially breaks down barriers of distance and time, it is interesting to consider how open & accessible it is. This article explores aspects of the IoT that may be important for future developments and aspires to provide an alternative perspective for an improved user experience (UX).
BCS Learning & Development, 2016
Mobile application is an emerging area of interest, growing exponentially each year. Among the ma... more Mobile application is an emerging area of interest, growing exponentially each year. Among the many mobile applications, only a few remain competitive. The success of a mobile application depends on its context of use and user experience (UX). In a pilot study, we tried to find and review user interface (UI) and UX problems by analysing user sentiments towards apps based on their text reviews. In addition to this, to fully understand the cause of the UI and UX problems, the Thinking-Aloud method was used. Text reviews cannot be directly used for UI/UX problems and most of the problems were related to the planning-stage of the interaction cycle. Our approach may help app developers/designers to focus on particular UI/UX problems of applications.
BCS Learning & Development, 1998
The effectiveness of providing multiple-stream audio to support browsing on a computer was invest... more The effectiveness of providing multiple-stream audio to support browsing on a computer was investigated through the iterative development and evaluation of a series of sonic browser prototypes. The data set used was a database containing music. Interactive sonification 1 was provided in conjunction with simplified human-computer interaction sequences. It was investigated to what extent interactive sonification with multiple-stream audio could enhance browsing tasks, compared to interactive sonification with single-stream audio support. With ten users it was found that with interactive multiple-stream audio the users could accurately complete the browsing tasks significantly faster than those who had single-stream audio support.
International Computer Music Conference, 1998
This paper reports the design and implementation of a proximity sensor based floor that is capabl... more This paper reports the design and implementation of a proximity sensor based floor that is capable of tracking a dancer's steps, transmitting these to a linked computer for analysis and/or to drive other media. The design rational is outlined in the light of previous dance floors that have been developed to control performance. The aim is to develop the floorspace for recording and representing dance: for use in dance research programmes, choreographic experimentation, performance and musical composition.
BCS Learning & Development, Nov 1, 1998
This paper describes the development of LiteFoot, an interactive floor space that tracks dancers ... more This paper describes the development of LiteFoot, an interactive floor space that tracks dancers steps, and converts the steps into auditory and visual display. The system can also record steps, for further analysis for use in dance research programmes, choreographic experimentation and training.
Smart car parking system prototype utilizing CCTV nodes: A proof of concept prototype of a novel approach towards IoT-concept based smart parking
The use of smart parking systems has become very important especially for metropolitan areas, due... more The use of smart parking systems has become very important especially for metropolitan areas, due to its benefits for the users regarding time, fuel consumption, and frustration when searching for a vacant parking space. This paper offers a review of recent advances in sensing and communication technology concerning smart parking systems. It includes a brief study of the selected topics and provides an implementation process of those selected systems. Moreover, this work proposes a design approach for a smart car parking system prototype based on utilizing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), and also an algorithm for computer vision detection through simulation environment. The system has been deployed in a simulation environment. Furthermore, the system evaluation demonstrates the effectiveness of our design and implementation of the system and shows promising results. This paper discusses possible issues that might arise when using the system Also, problems and challenges are outlined.
ACM Transactions on Applied Perception, Oct 1, 2005
In the original Fernström and McNamara paper at ICAD 1998 we described our work on a novel user i... more In the original Fernström and McNamara paper at ICAD 1998 we described our work on a novel user interface for sonic browsing of music collections. In this commentary we reflect upon the continued research in this area and how our interactive sonification approach has come to be used also for browsing collections of everyday sounds and for perception experiments.
Collections of sound and music of increasing size and diversity are used both by general personal... more Collections of sound and music of increasing size and diversity are used both by general personal computer users and multimedia designers. Browsing audio collections poses several challenges to the design of effective user interfaces. In this paper, we present the Sonic Browser, an application for browsing sound collections on personal computers. In this paper we describe how a novel user interface with multiple views can be applied to the browsing of audio collections. Finally, we conclude with current trends of our approach for further improvement of the system.
Marbh Chrios
Leonardo, Apr 1, 2012
Taking Away the Green Screen—A Brief Discussion of a Multidisciplinary Approach to IoT via, Smart Parking and Interaction Design
Lecture notes in networks and systems, Dec 31, 2017
“See a need, Fill a need” Wedge et al. (Robots 20th Century Fox, [1]) though these words can aptl... more “See a need, Fill a need” Wedge et al. (Robots 20th Century Fox, [1]) though these words can aptly sum up an entrepreneurial spirit, they are also a potentially good attitude for finding relevant solutions to global environmental issues. The important question that arises is how the need is filled? Long term, sustainable and creative solutions are required to reduce the impact of the human footprint. A multidisciplinary approach has great potential, as it is capable of combining a variety of domains and enriching the knowledge base. This paper will discuss a smart parking project to address the issues of carbon emissions, time management and congestion in cities whilst the 2nd project portrays a new approach to interacting and designing computers inspired by efficient biological systems.
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Papers by Mikael Fernstrom