Doubles is an electronic music instrument with a tangible user interface. Using two physical objects on a table, several simultaneous performers can interact with the instrument which registers the speed, distance, and motion of the objects. The surface of the table is paved with beads that roll when the physical objects are moved. This creates a sliding effect of acceleration and a centrifugal force is created to compute the audio and visuals in the installation. Check out the video below to see the visuals and hear the strange sounds produced by the instrument.

Continue reading

Enrico Costanza, PhD student at the Media and Design Laboratory of Lausanne’s Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale, has focused his research on designing objects that can bring digital and physical worlds closer. His Audio d-touch project, developed with Simon Shelley, is a clear example of this approach. It consists of three tangible interfaces that are used for musical composition and performance. They have been suggestively named, Augmented Stave, Tangible Drum Machine and Physical Sequencer.

The latter has been used in two live performances by the Sicilian cellist and composer Giovanni Sollima. Using the sequencer Sollima is able to record audio or voice samples and organize them in variable length loops. Continue reading

IOCT Salon: Sarah Angliss - Thinking Beyond the Screen and Mouse :: April 10, 2008, 6 - 7.15 pm :: Institute of Creative Technologies, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK :: Doors open at 5.30pm for drinks. This event is free and open to the public, however places are limited - email info [at] ioctsalon.com to reserve a seat.

With live demos of Clara 2.0 (a theremin-playing robot doll) and other curiosities, Sarah explores her own approach to digital arts. Her work may use computers and embedded microprocessors - but Sarah aims to create interactive objects with a tactile and convincing quality that extend beyond the computer screen and mouse. Continue reading

According to several recent articles, and even video posts on YouTube, Björk has incorporated the reacTable interface into her “Volta” world tour.

This was actually announced on the reacTable site in late April, but only picked up by Wired and other sources more recently. The reacTable, developed by a team under the direction of Dr. Sergi Jordá at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, has been mentioned several times on this blog as it is part of a larger developmental trend for tangible musical interfaces.

Most of the general public rarely sees or is even aware of the development of alternative controllers and musical interfaces, so it is particularly interesting to read some of the comments on the YouTube video showing the reacTable’s use in Björk’s performance.

The Sound of Touch [PDF] by David Merrill (Ambient Intelligence Group, MIT Media Lab) and Hayes Raffle (Tangible Media Group, MIT Media Lab):

Introduction: All people have experienced hearing sounds produced when they touch and manipulate different materials. We know what it will sound like to bang our fist against a wooden door, or to crumple a piece of newspaper. We can imagine what a coffee mug will sound like if it is dropped onto a concrete floor. But our wealth of experience handling physical materials does not typically produce much intuition for operating a new electronic instrument, given the inherently arbitrary mapping from gesture to sound.

Approach: The Sound of Touch is a new instrument for real-time capture and sensitive physical stimulation of sound samples using digital convolution. Our hand-held wand can be used to (1) record sound, then (2) playback the recording by brushing, scraping, striking or otherwise physically manipulating the wand against physical objects. Continue reading

Lansdown Lecture: iPoi -- Accelerating Digital Live Art :: Speaker: Jennifer Sheridan :: Date: Wednesday 18 April 2007, Time: 4:45pm for one hour :: Location: Middlesex University, London, EN4 8HT, Cat Hill Campus: Room 97, LONDON :: Admission is free. iPoi: Accelerating Digital Live Art: Imagine swinging a tiny computer around your body to create live visuals and audio like a DJ or VJ. iPoi is based on the ancient Maori art of poi and uses a wireless, peer-to-peer, sensor-packed upgrade of the original. iPoi is created by embedding tiny computers in tennis balls, and swinging them wildly around your body. iPoi uses the wonder of acceleration, the hidden force that is in our every movement and has been performed in nightclubs, festivals and conferences in the UK, North America and Australia. Dr. Jennifer G. Sheridan is a Digital Live Artist and Researcher who specialises in Digital Live Art (the intersection of HCI, Live Art and Computing). Continue reading