We had a lecture given by Carmen, a student from USI, and Assistant Professor David from Rey Juan Carlos University

We had a lecture by Carmen Armenti from the Università della Svizzera italiana (Switzerland), titled Software Sonification and Animation, and another by Assistant Professor David Moreno from Rey Juan Carlos University (Spain), titled Visualizing Data in WebXR with BabiaXR.

Title

Software Sonification and Animation

Presenter

Carmen Armenti (Università della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland)

Abstract

Software systems intrinsically grow in size and complexity as they evolve over time. Software visualization uses visual metaphors to reduce the complexity that hinders understanding—a challenge widely recognized as one of the most difficult and time-consuming in software engineering. A myriad of approaches (2D, 3D, VR, AR) have relied on visual perception, the primary human sensory modality. However, most fall short of conveying the key factor that drives software evolution: time—thereby obscuring relevant details that warrant more effective representation. This research explores the potential of auditory perception to support software evolution analysis, opening up the under-explored domain of software sonification. This work aims to depict time as the central thread that drives software evolution. Unlike visual representations, sound is inherently temporal, aligning naturally with the time-based nature of software change. Moreover, analyzing the evolution of complex software systems typically requires managing large volumes of multidimensional data. The use of sound as an additional layer of information has the potential to expand perceptual bandwidth and mitigate limitations of visual representations, such as scalability and modularization. Two paradigms are envisioned for employing software sonification in this context: as a complementary or integrable layer alongside visualization, and as an independent analytical modality. The overarching objective is to enable scalable analysis of software system evolution by integrating aural and animated visual channels.

Title

Visualizing Data in WebXR with BabiaXR

Presenter

David Moreno (University Rey Juan Carlos, Spain)

Description

In this talk, I introduce BabiaXR, an open-source WebXR platform developed as part of my PhD thesis to support immersive data visualization. BabiaXR allows users to explore metrics through both traditional 3D visualizations and the city metaphor, enhancing comprehension by leveraging spatial features. I will briefly showcase real use cases to illustrate how immersive environments can provide an alternative and potentially insightful way to examine software structure and evolution—directly from the browser, in VR or on screen.