Expanding Sonic Universe is a tool for exploring radio-wave-emitting objects in space.
Using a mobile device and headphones, the work allows visitors to listen to ten active galaxies in deep space at their real-time positions in the sky. The objects can be discovered by pointing the device around you and following their sounds. The sonification of these quasars and blazars is based on decades of research data from Aalto University’s Metsähovi Radio Observatory (MRO), documenting variations in the brightness of these distant objects.
I led the development of the application, including its functionality and visual layout. It’s easy to assume that AI produces the best and most practical code, but that’s not the default case. The application required several rounds of testing to accommodate a wide range of modern mobile devices. For example, the initial methods proposed by the coding tool for handling device orientation proved insufficient.
