Environmental Feedback Instrument

Description of Project:

The idea is to build an instrument that is more than a single object. The proposed system would extend 3 individual instrument objects though the use of feedback loops. Each loop is based on the input and output of sound or light, each instrument object putting the others in a state of flux.

Instruments can be used independently of the others, by tangible interaction by the user. However, this interaction becomes a subset of the larger, environmental feedback instrument, as the output of the object will influence the others. This affect may be dramatic, or it may be subtler. Therefore, the user(s) presence is both implicitly and explicitly acknowledged by the system.

Object 1
Input: Light (color tracking via camera)
Description: Camera as human eye. Tangible interaction: candles.
Output: synthesized sound, the dynamic range of which is determined by the composite RGB of frames in the video matrix.

Object 2
Input: Sound (pitch analysis)
Description: Cellphone. A Microphone tracks the ambient pitch, and outputs light information when the phone rings. Tangible interaction: 4 other phones will be placed around the environment, each phone triggering a different response from the system.
Output: Colored light aimed in specific directions

Object 3
Input: Sound (dynamics tracking)
Description: If room gets loud enough, a phone number will become visible from a projection.
Output: Light from projector. Dark if low dynamics, Bright if high.

Technical Requirements:
Environment: MAX/MSP/JITTER
Machine: Power Mac G5 X3 (for each object)
Projection: 1 (or more) projector (depending on if I can figure out how to control multiple projectors in time).
Object 1: Apple iSight firewire Camera, G5, Speakers.
Object 2: Microphone, Basic Stamp, 3+ Solid State Relays, new and improved serial cable, G5.
Object 3: Microphone, projector, screen G5.

Timeline:

4-5 weeks:
1 object per week (starting around now)
1+ week for setting up and testing in environment (lab).