Sound Zone Interaction in Homes: Studying and Designing for Modification of Personal Soundscapes

This dissertation is based on research conducted from 2018 to 2021 at the Department of Computer Science, Aalborg University. The dissertation consists of six full papers as well as a synopsis that outlines research questions, related work, research design, a summary of the paper contributions, and a discussion that positions the research. In this research, I investigate how to support users’ understanding and control of sound zone systems with interaction designs. I do so in seven studies in field and lab settings where I apply approaches to (1) articulate experiences of sound zones in different situations and (2) designing interaction with sound zones. From this investigation, I make three propositions towards a theory of sound zone configurations. The research offers a foundation for asking and investigating more far-reaching questions that pertain to experiences of and designing for sound zone systems.