A SMART COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT TONES During the intense research stage, sound signals were produced via a combination of different tones, which were used to indicate the priority of the problem: a high-pitched alarm meant something was serious wrong and could affect production. Another important step was to design sounds that worked for the users. Along with the operators, Interactive Institute identified different sounds that could be used for certain operating sections: a water drop represented the washing section, the sound of a kettle boiling was for the cooking process, and a breaking twig meant there was a situation in the wood chip area. CLOSE COLLABORATION GETS YOU RESULTS Project leader Anna Sirkka and sound designer Stefan Lindberg worked methodically together with the operators to find the right solution. After being tested during real working conditions, the project was presented and evaluated. “The response was extremely positive. The operators at Smurfit Kappa Kraftliner thought it was easy to understand which of the operating sections was being alerted and it was useful in their daily work,” explains Katarina Delsing. “The operators also thought that the work environment was calmer and that they could focus better on problem solving. It was nice to hear that they didn’t want to get the old sounds back,” she says.
• Interactive Institute’s Anna Sirkka in front of the system used to implement the sound solution at Smurfit Kappa Kraftliner.
A full-scale test is now being carried out in a control room at Smurfit Kappa Kraftliner. Interactive Institute is also looking into other ways of further developing the sound solution with new partners.
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PROJECT PARTNERS Smurfit Kappa Kraftliner and Interactive Institute Swedish ICT. PROJECT AND FINANCING This project was part of the larger project LJUDIT which is financed by: EU Structural funds, the County administrative board of Norrbotten, the municipal of Piteå, the municipal of Skellefteå, and RISE. CONTACT Katarina Delsing, katarina.delsing@tii.se READ MORE www.tii.se/projects/ljudit
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