Audio-Frequency Induction Loops (AFILs) as a Design Materialfor Architectural Interactivity: An Illustrated Guide

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Abstract

Audio-frequency induction loops (AFILs) are commonly used as an assistive listening technology for hard-of-hearing individuals. They generate an electromagnetic field proportional to a sound source receivable by hearing aids. Our interactive system, the Sound of Space, is based on AFILs that generate a multi-dimensional soundscape in space. Cochlear implant (CI) listeners and hearing-aids wearers can experience the soundscape through bodily movement, whereas hearing individuals can experience it via a corresponding tangible device. While typical AFIL installations transmit a single sound source, in our interactive system we implement overlapping loops and their interference to locate multiple synchronised audio sources (i.e., corresponding electromagnetic fields) in space. The designed system is installed permanently in an integrative school for deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing students and teachers. In this pictorial, we illustrate our design and implementation process and contribute our learnings of using AFILs as a design material for architectural interactivity.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDIS 2021 - Proceedings of the 2021 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference
Subtitle of host publicationNowhere and Everywhere
Place of PublicationOnline
Pages1201-1214
Number of pages14
ISBN (Electronic)9781450384766
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 ACM.

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • AFILs
  • Audio-frequency induction loops
  • architectural interactivity
  • design material
  • hearing loops
  • long-term deployment

Fields of Science and Technology Classification 2012

  • 102 Computer Sciences

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