Short Description
Mobile sound laboratory for field research with a focus on experimental work in the field of sound art. The mobile lab is a research unit designed as a vehicle trailer (the size of a caravan) and includes a variety of sound projection and recording capabilities, processing station, and sound system.
Contact Person
Dr. Karl Salzmann
Research Services
Mobile sound laboratory for field research with a focus on experimental work in the field of sound art. The mobile lab is a research unit designed as a vehicle trailer (the size of a caravan) and includes a variety of sound projection and recording capabilities, processing station, and sound system.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The mobile sound laboratory is a field-ready research unit in the form of a vehicle trailer, enabling the on-site recording, design and presentation of sound. It combines multi-channel recording and playback systems (e.g. stereo, binaural, Ambisonics), flexible microphone set-ups for different environments, an integrated editing station for rapid analysis and design, and a sound reinforcement system for on-site tests, presentations and participatory formats.
Methodologically, it links acoustic field research, spatial sound recording, sound mapping and acoustic ecology with experimental sound design, composition and prototypical sound interventions. This includes, amongst other things, various possibilities for: noise and atmospheric recordings, spectral analyses, site-specific sound installations, soundwalks and co-creative workshops. The combination of mobile infrastructure and specialist expertise enables set-ups to be adapted on site, iterations to be tested immediately and results to be evaluated directly with target groups.
The supervisory expertise covers spatial audio production, experimental design in sound art, field research ethics, technical audio integration and documentation. Applications to date range from sonic portraits of places to immersive presentations in public spaces and collaborative educational and outreach formats. The laboratory is well-suited to interdisciplinary collaborations with cultural, educational and research institutions, as well as companies wishing to explore site-specific sound issues or develop innovative sound solutions.
Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW): Phonogrammarchiv (PhA)