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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
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Happy Cycling: A bicycle-based collaborative interface for music making

Author

Term

4. Term

Publication year

2023

Submitted on

Pages

89

Abstract

This thesis explores whether a bicycle-based, collaborative music interface can engage both non-musicians and experienced musicians in shared music-making in public spaces and museums. It presents Happy Cycling, an accessible prototype that repurposes bicycle wheels as interactive controllers, coupled with a custom sensor system using IMUs and Hall-effect sensors to control audio playback and effects. The design emphasizes collaboration, play, and self-expression to lower barriers and invite exploration. The system was evaluated with attention to user experience and collaborative potential; results indicate a positive and meaningful shared musical experience. At the same time, the evaluation showed the interface was more challenging for novices, while experienced players found it more accessible and rewarding. The thesis acknowledges potential biases in the evaluation, including underrepresentation of certain aspects and musical categories, which should be considered when interpreting the results.

Denne afhandling undersøger, om en cykelbaseret, samarbejdsorienteret musikgrænseflade kan engagere både ikke-musikere og erfarne musikere i fælles musikskabelse i offentlige rum og museer. Projektet præsenterer Happy Cycling, en tilgængelig prototype, der bruger ombyggede cykelhjul som interaktive kontrolflader med et skræddersyet sensorsystem bestående af IMU’er og Hall‑effekt‑sensorer til styring af lydafspilning og effekter. Designet prioriterer samarbejde, leg og selvudtryk for at sænke adgangsbarrierer og invitere til udforskning. Systemet blev evalueret med fokus på brugeroplevelse og samarbejdspotentiale; resultaterne peger på en positiv og meningsfuld fælles musikoplevelse. Samtidig viste evalueringen, at interfacet var mere udfordrende for nybegyndere, mens erfarne spillere fandt det mere tilgængeligt og givende. Afhandlingen anerkender mulige skævheder i evalueringen, herunder underrepræsentation af visse aspekter og musikalske kategorier, som bør medtænkes ved fortolkning af resultaterne.

[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]