USJ Hosted Intense Three‑Day Workshop on OTTOsonics Technology
USJ Hosted Intense Three‑Day Workshop on OTTOsonics Technology
23
Feb
23/02/2026
A focussed OTTOsonics workshop has successfully concluded after a three‑day visit by researchers from the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to USJ.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is excited to share that a focussed OTTOsonics workshop has successfully concluded after a three‑day visit by researchers from the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Hosted by Prof. Gerald Estadieu and Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man of USJ’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the event ran from 10 to 12 February at the USJ Ilha Verde campus.


During the workshop, the SUTD team, led by Prof. Samuel Chng, Ph.D., and joined by research fellow Dr. Sarah Chan, Ph.D. and senior research assistant TAY Yi Xuan, discussed and learned about ambisonics, related software, and recording techniques that underpin the OTTOsonics system, and the structure assembly. They also had the first glimpse of the re‑engineered device, upgrading its amplifier to make the unit lighter, less power‑consuming, and easier to handle. By the end of the visit, the team returned to SUTD equipped with this newly refined OTTOsonics setup ready for use in their research.
The experience has already begun to spark new ideas. USJ has a history of studying the soundscape of Macau, and the similar cultural background of Macau and Singapore suggests fertile ground for comparative work. With OTTOsonics now in hand, the two institutions look forward to jointly examining how ambient sounds affect urban life in both regions, a project that will blend acoustic engineering with the Urban Psychology and Positive City Labs’ interests at SUTD.
The collaborative spirit that emerged during the workshop is expected to grow into a series of shared projects, including field recordings, data analysis, and publication efforts that could inform city planning, public health, and cultural preservation. The University of Saint Joseph and the Singapore University of Technology and Design remain committed to building upon this foundation, hoping to deepen their mutual understanding of how sound shapes the human experience in diverse urban settings.






