Research projects | Fono
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Research projects

Université Laval, in collaboration with BLEUFEU, is turning the Fono Festival into a true living lab!

Alongside the music programming, a unique research project comes to life—tapping into the festival’s energy, infrastructure, behind-the-scenes action, and the vibrancy of its artists, audiences, and organizers.

For three days, the campus becomes a playground for exploration, where science and culture meet to push the boundaries of innovation in a setting as vibrant as it is inspiring.

Fritz - 2025 Project

The immersive power of binaural sound: recreating the Fono Festival experience

Project in development.

Université Laval’s Co-DOT Lab is partnering with Fono Festival 2025 to test the real-world potential of immersive 3D sound. Using “Fritz,” a dummy head equipped with microphones and a GoPro camera, the team will capture live performance clips to recreate the festival experience as realistically as possible—just like being there.

After the festival, participants will be invited to relive these moments in the lab, through two versions: one in standard stereo, and the other in 3D binaural audio. The goal is to measure feelings of presence, immersion, and emotional response using behavioral, physiological, and eye-tracking tools.

This project opens the door to real-world applications: making festivals accessible remotely, reducing anxiety in medical environments, or enhancing well-being in isolated settings—like space. An innovative way to share culture… even beyond the stage!

Research team

  • Sébastien Tremblay, Full Professor of Psychology and Director of the Co-DOT Laboratory
  • Cindy Chamberland, Research Professional and Coordinator of the Co-DOT Laboratory
  • Coralie Bureau, Research Assistant and Bachelor’s Student in Psychology
  • Jeanne Nicole, Research Assistant and Bachelor’s Student in Psychology
  • Steven Thomas, Developer and Laboratory Engineer, Technical Lead for the Project
  • Denis Ouellet, Research Professional and Laboratory Engineer

Affinity Globe - 2024 Project

As part of the inaugural edition of the event, the Faculty of Music, in collaboration with Affinity Globe, led the Fono 2024 research project. The goal? To understand how a cultural event can influence participants’ well-being, particularly through intercultural exchanges facilitated by technology. To achieve this, researchers used the Affinity Globe mobile app, designed to encourage interactions among festival-goers, and collected data directly on site.

Voluntary participants were invited to share their impressions through interviews or via the app during performances. They were asked questions about their motivations, interactions, and real-time feelings. In total, 73 interviews were conducted.

The results showed a strong alignment between the music programming and the festival audience profile, as well as a strong sense of belonging—especially among new students. This is proof that music, technology, and the festival atmosphere can create lasting connections.

Research team

  • Serge Lacasse, Professor at Université Laval (Director)
  • Guillermo Saldaña, Affinity Globe (Mobile App)
  • Anthony Grégoire, Ethnomusicologist, Lecturer at Université Laval (Field Survey Supervisor)
  • Joanie Verviers-Deblois, Student at Université Laval (Field Survey)
  • Axelle Dumont, Student at Université Laval (Field Survey)
  • Ludovic Tourigny, Student at Université Laval (Field Survey)
  • Rose-Laurence Samson, Student at Université Laval (Field Survey)