Study level

  • PhD
  • Master of Philosophy

Faculty/School

Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice

Topic status

We're looking for students to study this topic.

Research centre

Design Lab

Supervisors

Professor Marcus Foth
Position
Professor
Division / Faculty
Faculty of CI, Education & Social Justice
Professor Markus Rittenbruch
Position
Professor in Interaction Design
Division / Faculty
Faculty of CI, Education & Social Justice
Dr Tim Williams
Position
Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design
Division / Faculty
Faculty of CI, Education & Social Justice

External supervisors

  • Dr Maxime Cordeil, University of Queensland
  • Dr Sean Foley, BFPCA

Overview

This PhD project addresses the significant issue of misleading noise data in the context of residential communities exposed to aircraft noise pollution. Despite efforts by authorities to provide noise exposure forecasts and information based on the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) approach, many communities feel misled by the noise contours presented to them. Experiences from previous major development projects at Australian airports have shown a range of problems with relying solely on the ANEF as a noise information tool as there are limitations in using the ANEF to describe aircraft noise exposure to laypeople.

This PhD research responds to this challenge. It aims to develop new approaches to immersive audio data visualisation and analytics to enhance community engagement and understanding of aircraft noise pollution. This involves leveraging interaction design methods such as immersive data analytics combined with advanced visualisation technologies such as Apple Vision Pro to create more intuitive and interactive ways for residents to perceive and make sense of noise exposure forecast data.

Research activities

Prospective students will engage in a variety of innovative and impactful research activities including:

  • developing and testing immersive audio data visualisation tools
  • utilising advanced technologies like the Apple Vision Pro for creating interactive noise pollution simulations
  • conducting field studies to collect and analyse noise data from aircraft, drones, and air taxis over residential areas
  • collaborating with local communities to understand their noise pollution experiences and feedback on visualisation tools
  • working with a multidisciplinary team of experts in interaction design, urban informatics, environmental science, and community engagement.

Outcomes

The project aims to achieve several key outcomes:

  • creation of cutting-edge immersive audio data visualisation tools and applications that improve public understanding of aircraft noise pollution forecasts
  • improving the quality of community engagement by making noise data presentations more accessible, reliable and authentic
  • development of policies, guidelines and best practices for presenting noise pollution data to non-experts
  • empirical evidence on the effectiveness of immersive technologies in conveying complex environmental data to the public
  • a scalable framework that can be adapted for other types of environmental data visualisations or industries other than aviation.

Skills and experience

Ideal candidates should possess the following skills and experience:

  • a background in interaction design, acoustical / audio engineering, data science, computer science, or a related field
  • experience with data visualisation and analytics tools
  • familiarity with immersive technologies such as VR/AR
  • strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • a willingness to learn new research methods, tools and skills
  • excellent communication skills for community engagement and collaboration
  • a passion for environmental issues and community advocacy.

Scholarships

You may be eligible to apply for a research scholarship.

Explore our research scholarships

Keywords

Contact

Contact Professor Marcus Foth via email m.foth@qut.edu.au