Prof. Dr. Charles Spence


Head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, England

Charles Spence is interested in how people perceive the world around them. In particular, how our brains manage to process the information from each of our different senses to form the extraordinarily rich multisensory experiences that fill our daily lives. His research focuses on how a better understanding of the human mind will lead to the better design of auditory and multisensory products, brands, interfaces, and environments in the future. Charles has acted as a consultant for a number of multinational companies advising on various aspects of sensory design, including Unilever, Procter & Gamble, ICI, McDonalds, Starbucks, Quest, Firmenich, Britvic, Neurosense, Starbucks, and The Fat Duck restaurant.

Charles has published more than 350 articles over the last decade. He has been awarded the 10th Experimental Psychology Society Prize, the British Psychology Society: Cognitive Section Award, the Paul Bertelson Award, recognizing him as the young European Cognitive Psychologist of the Year, and, most recently, the prestigious Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany.

Presentation: Sound Design: How understanding the brain of the consumer can enhance auditory and multisensory product/brand development

Panelist: What Will the Car of the Future Sound Like?