Subject: PhD position on The Design of Product Sounds From: Rene van Egmond <r.vanegmond(at)IO.TUDELFT.NL> Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 10:47:43 +0100Dear colleague, Please find below a description for a PhD-position on The Design of Product Sounds at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of the Delft University of Technology. Best regards, Rene van Egmond Ph.D. position on The Design of Product Sounds Delft University of Technology Project Description: Most consumer products produce sounds when they are used, for example, the sound of a car door that is closed, or the sound of an electrical toothbrush. The design of the sound of a product is often neglected when concepts for new products are developed. This often leads to a perceived mismatch between the visual and auditory experience of a product. As a result, the total experience perceived by the consumer is not the one a designer is trying to achieve. However, there is little known about how consumers perceive or experience product sounds. Therefore, this project will investigate the way people recognize, experience, and describe the sound of consumer products. The first objective of this project is to determine which perceptual relevant aspects make a sound fitting to a product and to what extent are these aspects influenced by the experience, habits and culture of the consumers. The second objective is to investigate the role of sound in the understanding and appreciation of product use. In order to achieve these objectives the verbal attributes that people use in their description of and experience with product sounds will be determined and related to spectral and temporal aspects of product sounds. These attributes are then used to generate new product sounds that fit the (emotional and aesthetical) experience of consumer products. The final goal will be to disclose the acquired knowledge for industrial designers in order to make it possible to incorporate the design of sound in the total concept of consumer products. Function demands: University degree in Industrial Design or other related studies with an interest in the experience of product sounds and sound design. He or she has good writing skills in English and preferably has experience in digital sound processing. Organization: Delft University of Technology Industrial Design Delft, Section Design. The Section Design has a leading and guiding role in the area of product experience. The goal of the Section Design is to acquire knowledge through applied scientific research and to make this knowledge accessible for the design community. The Section Design takes part in the ID-Studiolab (http://studiolab.io.tudelft.nl/research/), which is a design studio-like environment in which designers and researchers cooperate. The project is linked to already existing projects on conceptual thinking in design, product aesthetics and, emotional responses to products all within the Section Design. Terms of employment: Salary and conditions conform to the collective bargaining agreement for Dutch Universities. Salary: +/- eur 25.000 (nlg 55.093) per year Contract duration: contract for 4 years People interested in this project are encouraged to contact: Dr. R. van Egmond +31-15-2788324 r.vanegmond(at)io.tudelft.nl General information concerning Industrial Design Delft can be found at the website: http://www.io.tudelft.nl/english/home.html Applications (including a curriculum vitae) before the 15th of April to: TU Delft, fac. Industrial Design Engineering Afdeling P&O, vacaturenummer OCP 2208 Mekelweg 2 2628 CD Delft