We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Tobias Kappeler about their original and creative Mobile Application design work. Tobias Kappeler is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original mobile application works.
Tobias Kappeler ("TK") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Dinkum Mobile Application. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
TK : I wanted to explore sonic experiences and how they could add value to our daily lives besides listening to music. I explored different directions, such as navigation with 3D audio or interacting with 3D sound cues. Dinkum, was developed during the Covid 19 pandemic, and I realised that remote communication will become more embedded in our daily lives. However, the current audio experience in remote communication is not incredibly rich. We struggle with turn-taking, it feels unnatural and can cause fatigue. This led me to hone in on how to improve remote communications.
TK : To create a new audio experience in which people feel close while being remote.
TK : I'm currently exploring other experiences and applications with 3D Audio.
TK : The project was developed within six months, from concept development to the final design.
TK : The project was developed during my master's at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. I wanted to explore new audio experiences.
TK : People who know each other and want to have a naturally flowing conversation with a high sense of immersion while being remote such as couples, friends, and families.
TK : The project relies on 3D audio spatialisation technology. For the prototyping and development phase, I used 3D audio spatialisation software plugins within a digital audio workstation and built a binaural microphone for more advanced testing with users.
TK : A challenge I faced was how to visualise the speakers in the conversation and when they are speaking. I ideated around different ideas and visualisations. I decided to go for an abstract character representation to enhance the audio experience yet still be aesthetically pleasing.
TK : Working on this project highlighted the importance of testing with a diverse and broad user group. Most people have a sense of hearing yet we all hear slightly different and have different preferences. This came through while testing with various users.
