Sensor Christmas Looking Outwards

The geophone picks up low frequency ground vibrations. I’ve used regular microphones to translate voices and strikes into other outputs, but this sensor presents a subtler way to read viewer’s presence. Though it is intended for seismic use, I’d like to use it to sense footsteps or finger drumming or other sublties. Measuring the frequencies of vibrations and pauses could indicate hesitation or excitement/interest in a viewer, and could provide the art work insights on the viewer’s personality and motivations.

I find the color detector interesting not only because of its use, but its shape. Numerous color detectors could be compiled into a interactive form capable of reacting to a person based on their clothes or even race. The work could also be self interactive, or interactive with another form composed of color detectors, forming dialogues and relationships dynamically with each other or a passing viewer.

The Liquid Flow Meter has especially peaked my interest. Lately I’ve been thinking about totally immersive single or double human capsule environments in which art as experience is constructed by viewer and art object together. I want to use water in these environments, actively flowing and interacting with the viewer, adding layers of depth to the experience. This sensor measures the amount of water passing through it, and with that data I could send signals to valves to constrict or expand water flow based on environmental changes in the work.