Whisper
Enhancing museum experince
Whisper
Approach
During this project we focus on learning sound design tools such as Audition and Massive First phase of course dedicated to skill enhancement and second phase was all about designing :) ... First week of project we had collaborative progress where we defined our context and purposed solution. Further more, we focused on our specific skills in my case I directed my attention exploring one of the my interest which is invisible interaction and transitional with TUI and invisibility. Afterwards, I contributed as creative technologies during this project whichI embedded into prototyping and sound generation for various functions of the product. As I mentioned our focused was conducting progress oriented project in limited time and educating our self new set of skills.
Project Info
Fall 2020, 2 weeks
Partners: Umeå Institute of Design
Team: Marius, Huwan, Sandra, Mehmet
Focus: Professional User,Industrial Design, Sound Design, Wizard of OZ, Film-making, Design Ethnography, UX Research, Machine Learning
Whisper is a product-oriented solution for sound management specifically design for museum context to orchestrated acoustic and implementation of new layer interaction between art pieces and visitors. We benefits from magical technology of sound shower. As group of designer we desired to explore area we didn’t have experience in this field on the hand we felt attachment to the topic instantly. We developed service aimed to create immersive museum experience. The core of our concept is providing solution to enhance the experience of exhibition without disturbing individuals comfort zones and being respectful towards visitor’s peace and rituals. Whisper is an artifact specifically designed to empower curator and provide them new opportunity to organize and conduct detailed setting regarding various art pieces. By using our platform curator able to create focal points. Additionally, Whisper provide opportunity for curators to maximize the space they have in their reach and brings new ways to overcome challenges curators might face while designing exhibition area.
Brief
“How might we design professional tool for museum context to enhance visitor experience without invading artists borders ” + How might we articulate additional dialogue with the visitor to communicate art pieces in new forms”
Discover our concept.
Madness of Wizard of Oz
After conducting field research in variety of exhibition we defined current product solution are create magical effect mainly taking advantage direct sound laser technology however they lack customization options, they don’t provide opportunity to be able to adapt into various context. Some of the visitors mentioned current sound showers are not intuitive and sudden exposure to sound beam cause disturbing experience.
They are designed in a way to be exist as architectural product rather than developing symbiotic relationship with the artwork. In our Wizard of OZ testing our we observed three advantageous result compare too existing solution.
A-) People drawn into art piece in very comfortable and subtle way, without losing their concentration on art piece.
B-) Whisper is providing more sustainable solution: Curators needs fewer products to accomplish same result. Moreover, you can reach out more people with sensors. In our technical solution we were able to send different sound track various location.
C-) Whisper is able to make acoustics, more immersive by its ability customize and tell enrich narrative related stories (Please refer to our video for experience)
Moreover during our WoO testing we tackled into invisible interactions, which was great challenge to solve. We aimed to provide a system which is not stealing stage from art pieces therefore we aimed to avoid tangible interaction between visitors and sound shower. Previously, we had facilitated co- design workshop around more smart system with reflective sound feedback with this feature we aimed to enhance articulation of art piece and argument the embodiment experience itself. However, later on in the workshop we discovered that people interpret this feature as part of art piece itself rather than it is just proposed feature of the system. Subsequently we realized we are designing a feature invading boundary of artist. Therefore, we decided to neglect this feature and focus our attention to create sleek experince with invisible interactions.
Furthermore, we prototype AI guidance assistants. Personal curator for the visitors which would direct them in the museum depending on the data system collects from visitors. The reason why we put this feature into beach is that, we considering art can/should represent negative emotions as well as positive emotions. Museum experience should be more communal experience which people can navigate themselves more randomly in contrast to tailor made individual experience.
Art is an impact tool for development of society. Art can turn into dangerous tool to manipulate public thoughts/emotion and used as propaganda tool. It is a tool to reflect, challenge public knowledge and belief. As designer, there is danger we have to avoid. We have the skills to manipulate fabric of society, if we develop system base solution which will only showcase people what they pleased or believe in. We will intervene in cultural develop society and their perception about our world.
For each Wizard of Oz story we develop user journey map to mature and define our various WoO/ Body storming seasons.
Our insight gathered together helped us to decide on our final direction. Main findings were crucial implementation of indivisible interaction. HWM create feed forward-inherent feedback dynamic with usage narrative story telling. How we can protect right of artist and empower them by providing new platform instead of interrupt their creation.
Collaborative Sketching
Application of various collaborative sketching tools to conduct brain storming workshops.
Layered Narrative
Our narrative system based on creating of specific zones and calibrating their length and intensity level. Base on our interviews with curators and artists we decided to create three different zone to achieve intuitive system. Furthermore, we bullet proof our hypothesis with Wizard of Oz testing with curators and organized project in day workshop with them.
We define our zones as an audio sphere by this we provided open canvas for artists to sketch additional communication channel to their work and curator to enhance emotional impact of the art piece.
Whisper being professional tool designer to be service of curators and artist. Whisper present sound library for the creator to articulate narrative with three sound layers. Of course, depending on creative skillets they are able to create their own sound files and use that to extend their narrative. In our example video, we explore story related exhibition in forest theme specifically exhibition related specific bird facing extinction. Initially you interacted with subtle bird noise to catch your attention when you enter the zone. You start to hear footstep of animals sounds of leaf in the second sound layer. Lastly in the first layer zone you hear curator/artist explaining more information exhibition. As summery separated sounds layer serve function to build up the audio sphere along the art piece related to specific narrative. In our system user behaviors are the interaction input to the system thus which provide sound feedback in the form layered story telling.
Sound Design
On the left you can see the functional sound design outcome for setting up the device. One the right you can see the narrative sound design outcome for the storytelling.
Now one of the core responsibilities I had in this project was handling sound design and hardware prototyping. With advice from our mentor, I decided to divided prototyping into three-stage to achieve syncing steps effect in our storytelling. (I have to mention third stage is still going on and I am receiving advice/tutorial from my college about machine learning to carry out this part of prototyping). First stage was to create a distance sensored MP3 player using Arduino and Adafruit which was quite doable after learning the logic behind it.
The second stage was about creating a prototype that can sense various objects located in different locations in 3-meter area. It was quite a change but I was able to handle it. ( Arduino and Kinect )
Last stage requires the involvement of machine learning to be able to sync step of visitors into animal footstep sounds in the forest to create this effect, we are using machine learning to generate three different scenarios and teach three postures to software. The first one is for the representation of mid-age humans (we tried to include all the color rainbow : ). Furthermore, we are trying to mimic someone walking with a cane, usage of wheelchair and kids. We are using our academic foundation about Sara Ahmed to be as inclusive as possible while using our norm critical social lenses.
Sketching a bit to relax and mediate after long day
Now we are focused on developing AR application using Unity/Adobe XD
IN CONCLUSION
We envisioned product base service to managed system to add new layers on museum experience. Contributions of acoustic narrative can be norm defining for the industry furthermore our solution in applicable into various contexts open door environments to indoor locations. Imagine creating experience platform without creating any disturbance for public and avoiding noise pollution while providing enrich sound experince for the visitors.