Harmonizing sound and well-being – innovative work by Elif Ozcan Vieira

Meet Elif Ozcan Vieira, who conducts sound-driven design and research activities at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of TU Delft (The Netherlands) and leads the Silent ICU project at the Department of Intensive Care of Erasmus Medical Centre. She is the director of the Critical Alarms Lab (CAL) at TU Delft, where the lab members mainly investigate how to maintain or improve the well-being of listeners in complex socio-technological environments. CAL is a flexible consortium of individuals, institutes, and companies offering multiple student participation opportunities.

As a Digital Futures scholar-in-residence fellow hosted by Sandra Pauletto, Associate Professor in the Media Technology and Interaction Design division at KTH EECS, Ozcan plans to study the relationship between sound and nighttime well-being, such as sleep quality or ability to fall asleep.

Hi Elif, you recently joined as a Digital Futures Scholar in Residence. How did you discover this opportunity, and what made you decide to come to Stockholm?

– I have always heard about the great scientific work done at KTH and saw some of my older colleagues participate in the program. My host, Dr. Sandra Pauletto, and I have a common research interest in sound and sleep. Thus, we wanted to share our current discoveries and develop new ideas for further joint EU grant applications.

You conduct sound-driven design and also teach the theory and practice of perception-driven design, specifically focusing on sound-driven design. Why do you find “sound” so interesting?

– Sound is an ephemeral phenomenon that has lost lasting effects on people. In my approach to sound-driven design, I aim to make sound a better part of our living environments and make every sound count!

What have you done in Stockholm so far? Are there any places you would like to visit while in Sweden?

– I have been walking a lot in Stockholm, and through my daily walks, I serendipitously discovered different architectural expressions from different eras of Swedish history. I have also enjoyed my culinary experiences so far with so many varieties of fish dishes. I look forward to visiting the Modern Museum on one of the islands and discovering the Swedish take on contemporary art.

Find out much more about Elif Ozcan Vieira here.

Text: Johanna Gavaefalk