Outputs

Academic, artistic and non-specialist outputs of the AHRC Sensing the Forest Project

Activities

Summer School

Seminars

Media

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Podcasts

Zheng, Shuoyang (2025) Sensing the Forest - Episode 2.
Zheng, Shuoyang (2025) Sensing the Forest - Episode 1.

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On the Press

Wang, Lianganzi (31 December 2025) How to listen to a forest, The Conversation.
Xambó, Anna (1 November 2025) Sensing the forest: exploring climate change through sound, AI and art, Featured AI research case study series, EECS, QMUL.
Wang, Lianganzi (9 September 2025) 审视林木：倾听气候代码——Sensing the Forest（感知森林） (Auditing the Arboreal: Listening to the Climate Code — Sensing the Forest), WeChat Official Account “女性艺术家” (Women Artists).
Wang, Lianganzi (9 October 2025) 《聆听森林的脉动：声学叙事重塑生态感知》 (Listening to the Forest’s Pulse: Acoustic Narratives Reshape Ecological Perception), WeChat Official Account “艺术学人” (The Artologist).

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Papers

O’Flaherty, T. F., Elmokadem, M. B., Xu, X., Manjunatha, K. N., Roma, G., Xenakis, G., Xambó, A., (2025) “Sonification Mappings for Sensing Tree Stress: A DIY Approach”. Proceedings of the Web Audio Conference 2025 (WAC 2025). Ircam/Mozilla, Paris, France. [Companion webpage]

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Abstracts

García-Peguinho, N., Kelly, D., Navaratnarajah, M., Chockler, H., Xambó, A. (2025) “Validating Few-shot Bird Vocalisation Detection through Causal Explanations”, DMRN+20, 2025, King’s College London, London, UK.
Xambó, Anna; Batchelor, Peter; Marino, Luigi; Roma, Gerard; Bell, Mike; and Xenakis, George (2025). Soundscape-based music and creative AI: Insights and promises, UK AI Research Symposium (UKAIRS) 2025, Newcastle, UK.
Marino, Luigi and Xambó, Anna (2024). Developing DIY Solar-Powered, Off-Grid Audio Streamers for Forest Soundscapes: Progress and Challenges, Proceedings of the CHIME Annual One-day Music and HCI Conference 2024, Milton Keynes, UK.

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Posters

García-Peguinho, N., Kelly, D., Navaratnarajah, M., Chockler, H., Xambó, A. (2025) “Validating Few-shot Bird Vocalisation Detection through Causal Explanations”, DMRN+20, 2025, King’s College London, London, UK.
O’Flaherty, T. F., Elmokadem, M. B., Xu, X., Manjunatha, K. N., Roma, G., Xenakis, G., Xambó, A., (2025) “Sonification Mappings for Sensing Tree Stress: A DIY Approach”. Proceedings of the Web Audio Conference 2025 (WAC 2025). Ircam/Mozilla, Paris, France.
Xambó, Anna; Batchelor, Peter; Marino, Luigi; Roma, Gerard; Bell, Mike; and Xenakis, George (2025). Soundscape-based music and creative AI: Insights and promises, UK AI Research Symposium (UKAIRS) 2025, Newcastle, UK.
Bell, Mike; Batchelor, Peter; Marino, Luigi; Xenakis, George; Gravestock, Max; Grimsey, Danielle; Knowles, Johana; Stone, Hazel; Wardlaw, Nick; and Xambó, Anna (2024). Sensing the Forest: combining artistic and scientific methods, Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) Science Conference 2024, Versailles, France & Online.

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Technical reports

Marino, Luigi (2026) Building DIY Solar-Powered Audio Streamers: A Three-Phase Tutorial Series. Edited by Anna Xambó. Queen Mary University of London. https://doi.org/10.17636/101124743
Elmokadem, Mahmoud B., Manjunatha, Krishna N., Xenakis, George, Xambó, Anna (2026) Environmental Parameters Sensing (EPS) Unit. Edited by Anna Xambó. Queen Mary University of London. https://doi.org/10.17636/101124744

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Final UG/MSc projects

Final MSc projects

Sánchez Castrillón, Andrés (2025) “Sound Analysis of Soundscapes” (Supervisor: Anna Xambó). Final Year Postgraduate Project 2024/25, Artificial Intelligence MSc, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.
Shortland, James (2025) “A Comparison of Voice Activity Detection Models: A Reflection on How Data Quality Affects Model Success” (Supervisor: Anna Xambó). Final Year Postgraduate Project 2024/25, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence MSc, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.
Xu, Xinyue (2025) “Sonic Forest: Mapping Environmental Sensor Data to Sound for Climate Engagement” (Supervisor: Anna Xambó). Final Year Postgraduate Project 2024/25, Sound and Music Computing MSc, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.
O’Flaherty, Tug (2025) “Dendrostream: Exploring Tree Stress and Climate Change Through Sonification and Visualisation” (Supervisor: Anna Xambó). Final Year Postgraduate Project 2024/25, Sound and Music Computing MSc, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.

Final UG projects

Kassem, Haidar Chawki (2026) “Classification of High-Risk Disturbance in the Peruvian Amazon” (Supervisors: Anna Xambó and Rory Hodgson). Final Year Undergraduate Project 2025/26, BSc FT Computer Science and AI, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London. Programme of Study: Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence.
Rumpal, Dharma (2026) “WILT: exploring climate awareness through solar powered kinetic art” (Supervisors: Kok Ho Huen and Anna Xambó). Final Year Undergraduate Project 2025/26, BSC FT Computer Science (EngC Pathway), School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London. Programme of Study: BSc Computer Science.
Liu, Ning (2025) “MEMS microphones: finding the optimal solutions for recording in silent scenarios” (Supervisors: Luigi Marino and Anna Xambó). Final Year Undergraduate Project 2024/25, BSc(Eng)FT Electronic Engineering programme, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.
Parker, Stanley (2025) “Creating an affordable environmental monitoring system for residential use” (Supervisors: Kok Ho Huen and Anna Xambó). Final Year Undergraduate Project 2024/25, BSc Creative Computing programme, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.
Skutnik, Aleksander (2025) “Art, Unplugged: In the search of a sustainable off-grid power solution for immersive art installations” (Supervisor: Anna Xambó). Final Year Undergraduate Project 2024/25, BSc Computer Science programme, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London.

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Presentations

Xambó, Anna (December 10, 2025): Sensing the Forest: A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Sound Data, Turing Seminars, Wills Memorial Building, Jean Golding Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Xambó, Anna (October 28, 2025): Sensing the Forest: Exploring Climate Change Through Soundscape Datasets from DIY Streamers at Alice Holt Forest, Freesound Day, 28 October 2025, Online/Barcelona.
Xambó, Anna (October 15, 2025). Invited Talk: ”Sensing the Forest”. Aix-Marseille University - Master in Acoustics and Musicology, Marseille, France. Online.
Xambó, Anna (May 28, 2025). Keynote: Liveness as an Open Work: An Ongoing Live-Coding Algorithmic Journey, 9th International Conference on Live Coding (ICLC2025), 27 May 2025 - 31 May 2025, Barcelona, Spain.
Xambó, Anna and Batchelor, Pete (May 14, 2025). Guest Lecture: “Sensing the Forest - UAL workshop”. Computer and Data Science and AI, UAL Creative Computing Institute, University of the Arts London, London, UK.
Xambó, Anna (February 28, 2025). Invited Talk: “Intersecting Sonic Arts & Computing: A Portfolio Journey”. Music Engineering Forum. University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. Online.
Xambó, Anna and Marino, Luigi (October 23, 2024). Invited Talk: ”Sensing the Forest: Lessons Learned from our Artistic-Acoustic Intervention at the Alice Holt Forest”. Aix-Marseille University - Master in Acoustics and Musicology, Marseille, France. Online.
Xambó, Anna (November 14, 2023). Keynote: ”From NIME to NISE: Rethinking the design and evaluation of musical interfaces”. Audio Developer Conference 2023 (ADC23). London, UK.
Xambó, Anna (October 25, 2023). Invited Talk: ”In the search for epistemological cross-pollination between forest research, HCI and SMC”. CHIME network. Online.

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Artistic outputs

Xambó, Anna (June 24, 2026). Sensing the Alice Holt Forest, live performance. New Interfaces for Musical Expression 2026, 23 June 2026 - 26 June 2026, Rich Mix, London, UK.
García-Peguinho, Nico (November 22, 2025). Sensing the Alice Holt Forest, live performance. Multispecies concert, Creative Coding Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Xambó, Anna (November 19, 2025). Sensing the Alice Holt Forest, live performance. Web Audio Conference 2025, IRCAM/Mozilla, Paris, France.
Xambó, Anna (May 29, 2025). Sensing the Alice Holt Forest, live performance. 9th International Conference on Live Coding (ICLC2025), 27 May 2025 - 31 May 2025, Barcelona, Spain.
Batchelor, Peter: Dendrophone. Sound installation. August 2024-July 2025, Alice Holt Forest, GU10 4LS, Farnham, UK.
Your Sonic Forest: Hear Nature Speak through Sound Installations in Alice Holt Forest - Art Event - Online. August 2024-July 2025, Online.
Your Sonic Forest: Hear Nature Speak through Sound Installations in Alice Holt Forest - Art Event. 20 June, 11am-3pm, 2024. Alice Holt Forest, GU10 4LS, Farnham, UK.

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Hardware

Elmokadem, Mahmoud B.; Manjunatha, Krishna Nama; Xenakis, George; and Xambó Anna (2024-): DIY tree talker (code).
Bell, Mike and James, Catrina (2024): Customised Data Logger.
Marino, Luigi (2023-2025): Streamers’ hardware (code).

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Software

Web app customised DIY tree talker (2024-). In preparation.
Xambó, Anna; Roma, Gerard; Bell, Mike; Jones, Catrina; Batchelor, Peter; Marino, Luigi; et al. (2024): Max web client customised data logger. In preparation.
Xambó, Anna; Roma, Gerard; Batchelor, Peter; Bell, Mike; Marino, Luigi; et al. (2024-): Pd web client customised data logger. In preparation.
Xambó, Anna; Roma, Gerard and Bell, Mike (2024-): Web server (Express.js). Under development.
Marino, Luigi (2023-2025): Streamers’ software (Raspberry Pi platform).
Skutnik, Alexander (2025): Art Unplugged. Python.
Parker, Stanley (2025): Viridi. C++.
O’Flaherty, Tug (2025):
- Dendrostream (frontend). d3.js/p5.js.
- Dendrostream (backend). Javascript.

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Datasets

Marino, L., Batchelor, P., & Xambó Sedó, A. (2025). Sensing the Forest - Natural Soundscape Dataset (5-minute audio recordings streamer I (natural soundscape)).
- On Zenodo:
  - Marino, L., Batchelor, P., & Xambó Sedó, A. (2025). Sensing the Forest - Natural Soundscape Dataset - Part 1/2 [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18909809
  - Marino, L., Batchelor, P., & Xambó Sedó, A. (2025). Sensing the Forest - Natural Soundscape Dataset - Part 2/2 [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18911328
- On Freesound:
  - Pack: natural-soundscape-dataset.
Marino, L., Batchelor, P., & Xambó Sedó, A. (2025). Sensing the Forest - Installation Soundscape Dataset (5-minute audio recordings streamer II (sound installation)).
- On Zenodo:
  - Marino, L., Batchelor, P., & Xambó Sedó, A. (2025). Sensing the Forest - Installation Soundscape Dataset - Part 1/2 [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18911584
  - Marino, L., Batchelor, P., & Xambó Sedó, A. (2025). Sensing the Forest - Installation Soundscape Dataset - Part 2/2 [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18911592
- On Freesound:
  - Pack: installation-soundscape-dataset on Freesound.
1-minute JSON files from customised data logger. Ongoing.
30-minute JSON files from DIY tree talker. Forthcoming.

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Live streams (from streamers)

🔥 Note: This is a solar-powered system in the woods, which means it sometimes goes offline.
🔥 Attention: We recommend Chrome or Firefox for an optimal experience.

Natural soundscape (streaming ended on 26 August 2025)
Sound installation (streaming ended on 26 August 2025)

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Videos

AHRC StF Your Sonic Forest: The Exhibition Playlist

⭐ AHRC Your Sonic Forest: The Exhibition Playlist ⭐

Your Sonic Forest | The Exhibition (10:58), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Published on 10 Mar 2025. Video recorded and edited by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | In touch | Beccy Abraham (0:21), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Leaves Echo | Qianyi Rose Sun (1:39), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Data Logger | Mike Bell & Catrina James (0:12), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | A tree listens to itself | Miles Scharff (1:46),The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Resonant Grove | Austin Blanton (1:01), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | The Walking Tree | Bardia Hafizi (0:53), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Tread(LIGHTLY) | Gabrielle Cerberville (1:25), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Tree Museum | Ed Chivers (0:59), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Streamer | Luigi Marino (0:32), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.
Your Sonic Forest | Dendrophone | Peter Batchelor (1:31), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Recorded on 20 Jun 2024. Video recorded by Shuoyang Zheng.

Testimonials

StF QMUL EECS UG Projects 2024-25 (2:48), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Published on 2 May 2025.

MSc Presentations

MSc Final Project Presentation: Dendrostream by Tug F. O’Flaherty (9:44), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Published on 21 August 2025.
MSc Final Project Presentation: Sonic Forest by Xinyue Xu (12:10), The Sensing the Forest YouTube Channel. Published on 21 August 2025.

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Interviews

Interviews by Aleksander Skutnik with Artists who Work with Solar-Powered Solutions: Peter Batchelor, Sarah Hall

⭐ Interviews with Artists who Work with Solar-Powered Solutions ⭐

Skutnik, Aleksander (14 Mar 2025) An Interview with Chris Meigh-Andrews. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Skutnik, Aleksander (10 Mar 2025) An Interview with Sarah Hall. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Skutnik, Aleksander (8 Feb 2025) An Interview with Peter Batchelor. The Sensing the Forest blog.

Interviews by Hazel Stone with AHRC StF Summer School Artists: Bardia Hafizi, Ed Chivers, Qianyi Rose Sun, Gabrielle Cerberville, Austin Blanton, Miles Scharff, Kate Anderson, Jordan Juras, Rosa Sungjoo Park, Beccy Abraham

⭐ Interviews with AHRC StF Summer School Artists ⭐

Stone, Hazel (26 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Beccy Abraham. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (26 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Rosa Sungjoo Park. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (24 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Jordan Juras. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (20 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Kate Anderson. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (17 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Miles Scharff. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (15 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Austin Blanton. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (13 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Gabrielle Cerberville. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (10 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Qianyi Rose Sun. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (8 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Ed Chivers. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Stone, Hazel (6 May 2024) Meet the Artists - Bardia Hafizi. The Sensing the Forest blog.

Interviews by Anna Xambó and Luigi Marino with AHRC StF Seminar Series Speakers: Peter Sinclair, Saloni Shah, Jones/Bulley, Liz O’Brien and Alice Eldridge

⭐ Interviews with AHRC StF Seminar Series Speakers ⭐

Xambó, Anna and Marino, Luigi (27 March 2024) An Interview with Jones/Bulley. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Xambó, Anna and Marino, Luigi (21 February 2024) An Interview with Liz O’Brien. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Xambó, Anna and Marino, Luigi (5 February 2024) An Interview with Alice Eldridge. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Xambó, Anna and Marino, Luigi (14 January 2024) An Interview with Peter Sinclair. The Sensing the Forest blog.
Xambó, Anna and Marino, Luigi (5 December 2023) An Interview with Saloni Shah. The Sensing the Forest blog.

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Photo albums

Zheng, Shuoyang (2024) Sensing the Forest Summer School - Day 1, The Sensing the Forest Flickr account.
Zheng, Shuoyang (2024) Sensing the Forest Summer School - Day 2, The Sensing the Forest Flickr account.

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Promotional Leaflets & Posters

Dendrophone instructions poster. Designed by Peter Batchelor, Geetha Bommireddy and Anna Xambó.
Your Sonic Forest leaflet. Designed by Johana Knowles.
Your Sonic Forest poster. Designed by Johana Knowles.
Your Sonic Forest survey poster. Designed by Johana Knowles.
Sensing the Forest at Alice Holt Forest leaflet. Designed by the Sensing the Forest Team.
Sensing the Forest at Northern Research Station leaflet. Designed by the Sensing the Forest Team.