Hi All,
We at The University of Salford are conducting an experiment which is part of a project all about the design of algorithms that create electric motorcycle sounds, and we could do with some volunteers!
What is the purpose of this study?
The study is part of a project exploring and evaluating the design of algorithms which synthesise alert sounds for electric motorcycles. Traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycles are commonly loud, with a distinctive sonic character. However, electric vehicles can be significantly quieter and could sound different from an ICE. We are investigating the design of synthetic sounds for electric motorcycles for both safety and aesthetic purposes.
Who is running the study?
The study is run by researchers from the University of Salford in the UK, in collaboration with a commercial partner.
What will happen to me if I take part?
We ask you to complete an online survey. If you choose to take part, you will be presented with various synthesised vehicle sounds. Some of these might sound more like a real engine, others might be more experimental. They are not necessarily final sounds to be used on electric motorcycles, but your responses to them will help us in the design process.
After listening to each audio sample, you will be presented with a list of 7 scales with opposite words at extremes of the scale (e.g. “fast” and “slow”) and asked to rate the sound on each of the scales. You will be able to listen to each of the sounds as many times as you need.
We ask that you use headphones to listen to the sounds and to take care to make sure that the sound levels are comfortable.
There are 20 sounds in total and the whole survey should take between 10-15 minutes. You will have the right to withdraw at any time or ask for your data to be deleted for any reason.
What are the eligibility criteria?
Participants must be at least 18 years old.
Do I have to take part?
We hope that you will take part, but participation is entirely voluntary.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
This study has been reviewed and granted approval by an ethics panel at the University of Salford.
There are no consequences for you if you decide not to take part, or later choose to withdraw your responses. You do not need to give a reason for non-participation or withdrawal.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
The findings from this study will help us better understand how people respond to different types of engine sounds. This will help us develop acoustic alert sounds for electric motorcycles, which will likely be beneficial for pedestrian safety and to improve the soundscapes of the future.
Will my data be stored securely?
The collected data will be stored only on secure servers provided by the data collection service (Gorilla) and on password-protected university asset computers and University of Salford IT network. We will not collect any identifying characteristics such as name or address and all your responses will be anonymous. Because of this, once you have submitted all of your responses, we will not be able to identify you and withdrawing your data will not be possible.
Anonymised data will be kept as long as considered necessary by the research team to support further analysis and publication; it may also be used in future projects.
What will happen to the study results?
The findings from this study will be used to inform future research and product development related to this topic. The results will be written up in an internal report, will be shared with project stakeholders, and may be published in conference papers or academic journals. Any information made available in this way will be strictly anonymous i.e. we will never publish anything that could identify a response as coming from you personally or show that you have taken part in this study.
What if I have a question?
If you have concerns or questions about this experiment, either before or after taking part, please get in touch:
Dr Zuzanna Podwinska, Project Researcher [email protected]
Dr Antonio Torija Martinez, Academic Lead [email protected]
If that sounds good to you, a link to join the online experiment is here: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/23C2AE9C-DFB7-42F8-9665-2FEB4483177E
Thanks!
We at The University of Salford are conducting an experiment which is part of a project all about the design of algorithms that create electric motorcycle sounds, and we could do with some volunteers!
What is the purpose of this study?
The study is part of a project exploring and evaluating the design of algorithms which synthesise alert sounds for electric motorcycles. Traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycles are commonly loud, with a distinctive sonic character. However, electric vehicles can be significantly quieter and could sound different from an ICE. We are investigating the design of synthetic sounds for electric motorcycles for both safety and aesthetic purposes.
Who is running the study?
The study is run by researchers from the University of Salford in the UK, in collaboration with a commercial partner.
What will happen to me if I take part?
We ask you to complete an online survey. If you choose to take part, you will be presented with various synthesised vehicle sounds. Some of these might sound more like a real engine, others might be more experimental. They are not necessarily final sounds to be used on electric motorcycles, but your responses to them will help us in the design process.
After listening to each audio sample, you will be presented with a list of 7 scales with opposite words at extremes of the scale (e.g. “fast” and “slow”) and asked to rate the sound on each of the scales. You will be able to listen to each of the sounds as many times as you need.
We ask that you use headphones to listen to the sounds and to take care to make sure that the sound levels are comfortable.
There are 20 sounds in total and the whole survey should take between 10-15 minutes. You will have the right to withdraw at any time or ask for your data to be deleted for any reason.
What are the eligibility criteria?
Participants must be at least 18 years old.
Do I have to take part?
We hope that you will take part, but participation is entirely voluntary.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?
This study has been reviewed and granted approval by an ethics panel at the University of Salford.
There are no consequences for you if you decide not to take part, or later choose to withdraw your responses. You do not need to give a reason for non-participation or withdrawal.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
The findings from this study will help us better understand how people respond to different types of engine sounds. This will help us develop acoustic alert sounds for electric motorcycles, which will likely be beneficial for pedestrian safety and to improve the soundscapes of the future.
Will my data be stored securely?
The collected data will be stored only on secure servers provided by the data collection service (Gorilla) and on password-protected university asset computers and University of Salford IT network. We will not collect any identifying characteristics such as name or address and all your responses will be anonymous. Because of this, once you have submitted all of your responses, we will not be able to identify you and withdrawing your data will not be possible.
Anonymised data will be kept as long as considered necessary by the research team to support further analysis and publication; it may also be used in future projects.
What will happen to the study results?
The findings from this study will be used to inform future research and product development related to this topic. The results will be written up in an internal report, will be shared with project stakeholders, and may be published in conference papers or academic journals. Any information made available in this way will be strictly anonymous i.e. we will never publish anything that could identify a response as coming from you personally or show that you have taken part in this study.
What if I have a question?
If you have concerns or questions about this experiment, either before or after taking part, please get in touch:
Dr Zuzanna Podwinska, Project Researcher [email protected]
Dr Antonio Torija Martinez, Academic Lead [email protected]
If that sounds good to you, a link to join the online experiment is here: https://research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/23C2AE9C-DFB7-42F8-9665-2FEB4483177E
Thanks!
