Synaesthetic apparatus for algorithmic music composition
A great numbers of things of the world surrounding us lies beyond our ability of perception and stays unheard and unseen. Through the application of synaesthetic effects and sensory substitution information can be transferred into diverse senses in order to enrich our perception of our environment. Ultrasound for instance can be used as an imaging method for localisation and detection – sound that is being transformed into pictures.
Synphon (sýn (grk): „together“ + phon (grk.): „sound“) is a synaesthetic apparatus which maps its environment by means of sensors and transforms visual data into auditory data, producing a three-dimensional sound scape. Based on topics like algorithmic music composition and psychoacoustics Synphon serves as a generative tool for sound synthesis and therefore the sonification of the visual itself.
Credits:
Creative Direction | Visuals & Hardware: Verena Bachl
Creative Direction | Production & Code: Karsten Schuhl
Sounddesign: Karsten Schuhl
Creative Direction | Visuals & Hardware: Verena Bachl
Creative Direction | Production & Code: Karsten Schuhl
Sounddesign: Karsten Schuhl
Materials: Painted wood, aluminium, electronics
Size: Length: 45cm | Height: 39 cm | Width: 26 cm
How Synphon was made:
Playing with different options of vision-to-sound translations
Setting up sensors to capture position and relevant location data
Discussing options of filtering camera input
Sometime even four hands are not enough
CNC-milling all custom parts
Backpanel with controls
