PHD
The Representation and Control of Time in Tangible User Interfaces
(Designing Musical Instruments for the Manipulation of Temporal Media)
My PhD investigates how musical material can be physically manipulated through tangible user interfaces. In particular it focuses on how time can both be represented and controlled.
Download my PhD Dissertation
I've been a bit slow getting round to putting this online, but finally here's the full version of my my PhD dissertation as it was printed. I definitely recommend downloading the second version as it will save a lot paper when printed double-sided...
- Peter Bennett's PhD - single-sided, one & half spaced, uncompressed(~37 MB).
- Peter Bennett's PhD - double-sided, single-spaced, compressed (~18 MB).
Concept and Inspiration
The driving concept of my PhD is to investigate how people can physically interact with music and sound using 'tangible user interfaces'. The inspiration for this research comes from the desire to be able to manipulate music with the power, precision and flexibility of a computer, but with the subtlety, physicality and direct engagement offered by acoustic instruments.
I was first introduced to how tangible interfaces could be used for music at Ars Electronica in 2003 when I was lucky enough to try out both the AudioPad and BlockJam projects; both of these have influenced my own work a great deal. There were several things that inspired me: firstly they are both simple to pick up, and start using, yet revealed a surprising amount of complexity in use. Secondly they allow collaborative interaction, with a number of people being able to interact at the same time. Finally they are very fun to use, making you want to go back and play with them!
