Collaborative music interaction on tabletops: an HCI approach

With the advent of tabletop interaction, collaborative activities are better supported than they are on single-user PCs because there exists a physical shareable space, and interaction with digital data is more embodied and social. In sound and music computing, collaborative music making has traditionally been done using interconnected networks, but using separated computers. Musical tabletops introduce opportunities of playing in collaboration through sharing physically the same musical interface. However, few tabletop musical interfaces exploit this collaborative potential (e.g. the Reactable). We are interested in looking into how collaboration can be fully supported by means of musical tabletops for music performance in contrast with more traditional settings. We are also looking at whether collective musical engagement can be enhanced by providing more suitable interfaces to collaboration. In HCI and software development, we find an iterative process approach of design and evaluation—where evaluation allows us to identify key issues that can be addressed in the next design iteration of the system. Using a similar iterative approach, we plan to design and evaluate some tabletop musical interfaces. The aim is to understand what design choices can enhance and enrich collaboration and collective musical engagement on these systems. In this paper, we explain the evaluation methodologies we have undertaken in three preliminary pilot studies, and the lessons we have learned. Initial findings indicate that evaluating tabletop musical interfaces is a complex endeavour which requires an approach as close as possible to a real context, with an interdisciplinary approach provided by interaction analysis techniques

Multi-touch interaction principles for collaborative real-time music activities: towards a pattern language

In this paper we give an analysis of the literature on a set of problems that can arise when undertaking the interaction design of multi-touch applications for collaborative real-time music activities, which are designed for multitouch technologies (e.g. smartphones, tablets, interactive tabletops, among others). Each problem is described, and a candidate design pattern (CDP) is suggested in the form of a short sentence and a diagram—an approach inspired by Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language. These solutions relate to the fundamental collaborative principles of democratic relationships, identities and collective interplay. We believe that this approach might disseminate forms of best design practice for collaborative music applications, in order to produce real-time musical systems which are collaborative and expressive

Temporalidades presentes en las experiencias cinemáticas interactivas

En aquest article es presenten i discuteixen diverses obres interactives que mostren diferents representacions «d'imatges-temps» en què passat i present es fusionen en un mateix espai de representació. Les experiències cinemàtiques d'aquests treballs ofereixen relacions de percepció i consciència temporals singulars en relació amb el cinema, vinculades a la interacció física dels participants amb la imatge digital. A partir d'una aproximació fenomenològica i cognitiva del paper del cos en la construcció de la percepció, s’estudien les temporalitats vinculades a la manipulació de la imatge digital generada en temps real. Estudiar des d'aquesta perspectiva el temps ens apropa a noves comprensions de la nostra relació amb les imatges contemporànies. Aquestes representacions digitals s'allunyen de les estructures clàssiques seqüencials en què passat, present i futur són elements que no poden coexistir i oferint estructures més complexes de representació i vivència temporal.This article presents and discusses a selection of interactive works that use different representations of time-images in which past and present merge into a single space of representation. These cinematic experiences generate singular relationships of temporal perception and consciousness in relation to cinema, connected to the participant’s physical interaction with the digital image. Through a phenomenological and cognitive approach to the role of the body in the construction of perception, the article explores the temporalities involved in processing digital images generated in real time. This way of approaching the study of time leads us to new readings of our relationship with contemporary images. These digital representations are no longer tied to traditional sequential structures in which the elements of past, present and future cannot coexist and instead provide more complex structures for the representation and experience of time.En este artículo se introducen y discuten varias obras interactivas que muestran diferentes representaciones «de imágenes-tiempo» en las que pasado y presente se fusionan en un mismo espacio de representación. Las experiencias cinemáticas de estos trabajos ofrecen relaciones de percepción y conciencia temporales singulares en relación con el cine, vinculadas a la interacción física de los participantes con la imagen digital. A partir de una aproximación fenomenológica y cognitiva del papel del cuerpo en la construcción de la percepción, se estudian las temporalidades vinculadas a la manipulación de la imagen digital generada en tiempo real. Estudiar el tiempo desde esta perspectiva nos acerca a nuevas comprensiones de nuestra relación con las imágenes contemporáneas. Estas representaciones digitales se alejan de las estructuras clásicas secuenciales donde pasado, presente y futuro son elementos que no pueden coexistir y ofrecen estructuras más complejas de representación y vivencia temporal

El reactable: interfaz tangible de mesa para interpretación musical multihilos.

En años recientes se han visto una proliferación de mesas musicales, partiendo del hecho que esto no es solo una moda de mesas. Este artículo discute las razones por las cuales las interfaces de mesa son interfaces musicales promisorias; luego, se presenta el reactable, un instrumento musical basado en una interfaz de mesa que ejemplifica varios de estos logros potenciales

Estratègies de millora de l'eficiència del procés de degradació Foto-Fenton

Les aigües residuals no només contenen contaminants, també tenen presents ions que interfereixen en el procés d'eliminació de contaminants. En aquest estudi s'afegiran ions clorurs i sulfats a l'aigua desionitzada amb l'objectiu d'aproximar-se el màxim possible a les aigües reals. En aquest projecte s’ha estudiat la mineralització del paracetamol, la carbamazepina i una barreja d’aquests dos amb cafeïna en aigües amb ions sulfats i clorurs, mitjançant el procés foto-Fenton. Tot el treball experimental s’ha fet en escala de laboratori (2L). La monitorització de l’evolució de la mineralització s’ha fet amb l’equip d’anàlisi TOC, i la variació de la concentració de peròxid d’hidrogen s’ha dut a terme mitjançant l’espectrofotòmetre UV-vis. Per tal de caracteritzar el comportament de cada assaig s’han determinat els paràmetres d’un model semi-empíric (ξ^max i k). L’objectiu del disseny d’experiments proposat és estudiar la influència dels ions sulfat i clorurs sobre la mineralització. Les diferents matrius tenen un efecte sobre els dos paràmetres que defineixen el comportament del sistema. El programa Minitab permet obtenir models que relacionen els factors estudiats al disseny amb la resposta del sistema. Analitzant els resultats obtinguts, s’ha pogut observar l’efecte negatiu que tenen els ions clorur en la mineralització i la velocitat de mineralització de tots els contaminants analitzats. No s’ha pogut demostrar si els ions sulfat tenen un efecte advers en la mineralització dels contaminants estudiats. Els models obtinguts amb el disseny d’experiments permeten predir dins del rang de validesa de l’estudi.Las aguas residuales no sólo contienen contaminantes, también tienen presentes iones que interfieren en el proceso de eliminación de contaminantes. En este estudio se añadirán iones cloruros y sulfatos en el agua desionizada con el objetivo de aproximarse lo máximo posible a las aguas reales. En este proyecto se ha estudiado la mineralización del paracetamol, la carbamazepina y una mezcla de estos dos con cafeína en aguas con iones sulfatos y cloruros, mediante el proceso foto-Fenton. Todo el trabajo experimental se ha hecho en escala de laboratorio (2L). La monitorización de la evolución de la mineralización se ha hecho con el equipo de análisis TOC, y la variación de la concentración de peróxido de hidrógeno se ha llevado a cabo mediante el espectrofotómetro UV-vis. Para caracterizar el comportamiento de cada ensayo se han determinado los parámetros de un modelo semi-empírico (ξ^max i k). El objetivo del diseño de experimentos propuesto es estudiar la influencia de los iones sulfato y cloruros sobre la mineralización. Las diferentes matrices tienen un efecto sobre los dos parámetros que definen el comportamiento del sistema. El programa Minitab permite obtener modelos que relacionan los factores estudiados al diseño con la respuesta del sistema. Analizando los resultados obtenidos, se ha podido observar el efecto negativo que tienen los iones cloruro en la mineralización y la velocidad de mineralización de todos los contaminantes analizados. No se ha podido demostrar si los iones sulfato tienen un efecto adverso en la mineralización de los contaminantes estudiados. Los modelos obtenidos con el diseño de experimentos permiten predecir dentro del rango de validez del estudio.Wastewater not only contains pollutants, they also have ions present that interfere with the process of pollutant removal. In this study chloride ions and sulphates will be added to the deionized water with the aim of getting as close as possible to the real waters. In this project, the mineralization of paracetamol, carbamazepine and a mixture of these two with caffeine in water with sulfate and chloride ions has been studied, using the photo-Fenton process. All experimental work was performed on a laboratory scale (2L). The evolution of the mineralization was monitored with the TOC analysis equipment, and the variation of the hydrogen peroxide concentration was carried out using the UV-vis spectrophotometer. In order to characterize the behavior of each experiment, the parameters of a semi-empirical model (ξ^max i k) were determined. The aim of the proposed design of experiments is to study the influence of sulfate and chloride ions on the mineralization process. The different matrices have an effect on the two parameters that define the behavior of the system. The Minitab program allows to obtain models that relate the factors studied to the design with the response of the system. Analyzing the results obtained, it was possible to observe the negative effect that chloride ions have on the mineralization and the rate of mineralization of all the pollutants analyzed. It has not been demonstrated whether sulfate ions have an adverse effect on the mineralization of the pollutants studied. The models obtained with the design of experiments allow to predict within the range of validity of the study

Towards a taxonomy for video analysis on collaborative musical tabletops

This position paper summarises some themes encountered when analysing video data in the context of music performance with interactive tabletops. It presents methodological approaches and coding schemes used for a set of experiments on musical tabletops and collaboration. Finally, it outlines an initial taxonomy based on the outcomes of the projects introduced, which can be used for video annotation of collaborative music interaction

On the Use of Gallic Acid as a Potential Natural Antioxidant and Ultraviolet Light Stabilizer in Cast-Extruded Bio-Based High-Density Polyethylene Films

This study originally explores the use of gallic acid (GA) as a natural additive in bio-based high-density polyethylene (bio-HDPE) formulations. Thus, bio-HDPE was first melt-compounded with two different loadings of GA, namely 0.3 and 0.8 parts per hundred resin (phr) of biopolymer, by twin-screw extrusion and thereafter shaped into films using a cast-roll machine. The resultant bio-HDPE films containing GA were characterized in terms of their mechanical, morphological, and thermal performance as well as ultraviolet (UV) light stability to evaluate their potential application in food packaging. The incorporation of 0.3 and 0.8 phr of GA reduced the mechanical ductility and crystallinity of bio-HDPE, but it positively contributed to delaying the onset oxidation temperature (OOT) by 36.5 °C and nearly 44 °C, respectively. Moreover, the oxidation induction time (OIT) of bio-HDPE, measured at 210 °C, was delayed for up to approximately 56 and 240 min, respectively. Furthermore, the UV light stability of the bio-HDPE films was remarkably improved, remaining stable for an exposure time of 10 h even at the lowest GA content. The addition of the natural antioxidant slightly induced a yellow color in the bio-HDPE films and it also reduced their transparency, although a high contact transparency level was maintained. This property can be desirable in some packaging materials for light protection, especially UV radiation, which causes lipid oxidation in food products. Therefore, GA can successfully improve the thermal resistance and UV light stability of green polyolefins and will potentially promote the use of natural additives for sustainable food packaging applications

SoundXY4: supporting tabletop collaboration and awareness with ambisonics spatialisation

Co-located tabletop tangible user interfaces (TUIs) for music performance are known for promoting multi-player collaboration with a shared interface, yet it is still unclear how to best support the awareness of the workspace in terms of understanding individual actions and the other group members actions, in parallel. In this paper, we investigate the effects of providing auditory feedback using ambisonics spatialisation, aimed at informing users about the location of the tangibles on the tabletop surface, with groups of mixed musical backgrounds. Participants were asked to improvise music on "SoundXY4: The Art of Noise", a tabletop system that includes sound samples inspired by Russolo's taxonomy of noises. We compared spatialisation vs. no-spatialisation conditions, and findings suggest that, when using spatialisation, there was a clearer workspace awareness, and a greater engagement in the musical activity as an immersive experience

Breaking the workflow: Design heuristics to support the development of usable digital audio production tools: framing usability heuristics for contemporary purposes

The investigation that follows presents the results of a series of workshops with professional musicians and music producers. The work here elicits requirements for musicians in terms of software systems. The scope here explores how to design systems to support creativity and collaboration while maintaining a usable system - one which is effective, efficient and satisfies the user. The format models that of similar workshops, where a three-pronged approach is taken to focus on three different types of creativity: exploratory, combinatorial and transformational approaches. Participants describe a story that defines different user roles and expectations. Focus groups help to refine and combine the existing experiences and begin identify ways in which systems can be made more usable, and support more creative ways of working. We consider the broader consideration of usability, including defining and describing different user types and how their views of usability may differ or even be at odds. Our findings show that while existing systems are very good at supporting traditional usability metrics, they may not consider the broader implications of a considered and holistic user experience