With MusicTwist, waiting passengers at public places can shorten their waiting time and make it fun instead: step into the different fields projected on the floor. By doing so, music samples are being triggered. The more people join and step on cells on the floor, the richer the song will get. Each of the four columns on the floor equals one instrument and for one instrument, there are two cells representing different sound patterns of this instrument. The more people step on different cells of one column, the more variations of the pattern are being played.
Sounds will even be triggered if people just pass by and by walking across the cells. In that way, people are easily encouraged to participate in collaborative music production. Up to eight people can participate. With MusicTwist, waiting for the train in the metro station gets really collaborative and fun for waiting passengers.
Our message: Through music in the subway, strangers can become collaborators!
1st scenario
A businesswoman, who is very stressed out, is starring at her phone and listening to music. While waiting for the metro, she sees a crowd of people. She notices that the leaving crowd has these little smiles on their face. Interested, the businesswoman walks closer to see what is happening. People seem to begin positioning themselves on the steps and music starts to be played. She decides to delay her metro, thinking, “It will only be five minutes, why not try and see what's going on.” She begins to participate in MusicTwist. After a few minutes she begins to smile, similar to the strangers she saw before, then realizing she has to hurry to catch the next train. She runs with a smile to the next metro.
2nd scenario
A cute girl is standing at the metro and notices a handsome boy in the corner of her eye. They both give a quick glance, but are too shy to approach each other. After a short moment concentrating on their phones, they sneak another peek. Suddenly, they start hearing music. Both star-struck after their cute glances, they begin looking for the music. After seeing MusicTwist and both nervous that they could make a fool of themselves, the timid boy takes the initiative, thinking he has nothing to lose. The girl sees him and encouraged, starts participating as well. After a few minutes the train arrives and both leave with a small smile and not an awkward feeling, but one of anonymous collaboration.
What do all these little stories have in common?
After leaving the special world all characters have a little smile on their face. All characters are overcoming a little inner conflict and receive the musical collaboration as a personal gift.
It is all about the little smile.
3rd scenario
An old lady arrives at the metro station, tired of seeing the younger generations absorbed by their smartphones. Looking across the platform, she notices a crowd of people and some strange music playing. At first glance, she thinks, “There's too much technology. How can the government responsibly bring more into the metro station?” Then she thinks back to 1971, reflecting when the metro was founded and how new it seemed. Slowly taking step by step closer, she put one foot on MusicTwist. A bit startled by the music, she directly leaves the step after stepping on it. Then realizing that she could create music, she takes her next train, a bit surprised and with a little smile on her face.
The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life of our soules.
– Pablo Picasso
Sensitizes for the small things in life
Inspires and brings spark in daily life
Liberates us
Connectes people
Has healing effects
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.
– Albert Einstein
Enables a better life
Encourages us
Broadens our horizon
Accelerates our lifestyle
Breaks people apart in real life
Director of Carbon Arts
PhD candidate at CDTM
Disney Research Zurich
Product Developer at The Walt Disney Company
Lecturer at the LMU LFE Mediainformatics
All these lecturers inspired the project and supported the team with their input
Media Informatics
Business Administration and Political Sciences
Management and Technology
Power Engineering
Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
Physics, Philosophy
Neuro-cognitive Psychology
Power Engineering
Human-Computer Interaction
Center Assistant, Supervised the course
The Center for Digital Technology Management (CDTM) is a joint institution of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University and the Technical University of Munich with a focus on innovation, product development and entrepreneurship. CDTM offers particularly talented students the interdisciplinary add-on study program ‘Technology Management’ which is a study program of the Elite Network of Bavaria. The study program is hold in English and offers its students by international and interdisciplinary course formats hands-on experiences in cooperation with well-known industry partners.
The study program ‘Technology Management’ consists of three semester and one semester abroad. During those three semester students passes three core courses and their electives. Electives are designed to complement the core courses by offering students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge in an area of their choice. One of those electives is the Center Study. A Center Study is set up by students. Highly motivated students who want to research in a topic of their interest are able to create their own elective. The course program is compiled and led by the respective students.