Ivica Ico Bukvic

Sonification design guidelines to enhance program comprehension

Faced with the challenges of understanding the source code of a program, software developers are assisted by a wealth of software visualization research. This work explores how visualization can be supplemented by sonification as a cognitive tool for code comprehension. By engaging the programmers auditory senses, sonification can improve the utility of program comprehension tools. This paper reports on our experiences of creating and evaluating a program comprehension prototype tool that employs sonification to assist program understanding by rendering sonic cues. Our empirical evaluation of the efficacy of information sonification indicates that this cognitive aid can effectively complement visualization when trying to understand an unfamiliar code base. Based on our experiences, we then propose a set of guidelines for the design of a new generation of tools that increase their information utility by combining visualization and sonification.

Form, function and performances in a musical instrument MAKErs camp

This experience report presents the planning, execution and results of an exploratory 5-day musical instrument MAKErs camp for K-12 students. Students used various hardware sensors, a graphical programming environment and different physical prototyping techniques to create musical instruments. The design of a musical instrument introduces students to the full spectrum of the design process including form factor and function. Throughout the camp, students shared and performed in front of their peers to gain feedback as they iterated through the design of a musical instrument.

Fusality: an open framework for cross-platform mirror world installations

As computing and displays become more pervasive and wireless networks are increasing the connections between people and things, humans inhabit both digital and physical realities. In this paper we describe our prototype Mirror Worlds framework, which is designed to fuse these realities: Fusality. Our goal for Fusality is to support innovative research and exhibitions in presence and collaboration, sensors and smart buildings and mixed reality in applications from engineering to art. By fusing live sensor data from the building and its occupants with online 3D environments and participants, we demonstrate a first-principles approach to online multi-entity messaging communication. This demonstration shows how the variety of Mirror Worlds clients can be supported through the open Web architecture. These technologies enable new possibilities for collaboration as well as directions for interoperability. Finally, we layout out our research agenda for the framework and discuss its transformative applications.