This is a project designed to be an interactive installation that is an exploration of electronic sound through intuitive control. The audio input for the project invites the user to explore electronic items using the two floating pick ups(these can be used to pick up the sounds of electric fields in close proximity). The signal from each of the pick ups is filtered by high and low pass filters in series. The cut off frequency of these filters is dictated by the data received from pairs of distance sensors, these values are also mapped and displayed to a led strip. A sonogram representation of each signal displayed.

The main aim for this installation is to allow direct exploration of [1]’hidden sounds’ and to promote active listening in the public. The manipulation of the sound is solely to focus on frequency bands and not to alter the signal in any way that might muddy the relationship between controller and output. In this light the LED functionalities were kept as a near direct representation of the most recent user interaction, with the visuals directly showing the frequency spectrums of the outputs. All parts of the project were aimed to be as intuitive as possible for immediate control by the public, whilst retaining the possibility for infinite sonic exploration through the roaming pick ups.

HC-SR04 Ultrasonic distance sensors - Used to measure distance to an object by emitting an ultrasonic pulse and receiving its echo.

BMP280 Barometric pressure and temperature sensor - The temperature sensor on this was used to derive a more accurate measure of the speed of sound in current conditions. This allows for ultrasonic distance sensors to interpolate the time between trigger and echoes more accurately.

Individually Addressable LED strip - Used to represent the most recent values returned by the distance sensor pairs. The relative distances of objects between two sensors was returned.

Teensy LC - Coded using Teensyduino, this microcontroller was used to send and receive data from all sensors and LEDs. The programme interoperates the timing data from the ultrasonic sensors into distances and maps this information to a usable form for the LEDs and external use in Max.

Max/MSP - created two parallel audio paths going through a HPF and LPF in series for each floating pick up. The filter cut offs are controlled by input data from the serial that is the interpreted distance information. Max’s sonogram function is also used to display data in a separate patcher.

Les Paul style Hum-bucker Pick ups - Guitar pick ups use electromagnetic induction to pick up audio signals. This functionality makes them sensitive to the sounds produced by electronics at close distances, as well as any oscillating metal. Amplifying this sounds allows for the exploration of those sounds that we are around every day but might never hear. An advantage of using hum-bucker pick ups is that they produce less noise than their single coil counter parts.

LDR-Laser Circuit - (This circuit was non functional during the videoed performance due to an, as of yet, undiagnosed issue that arose when the project was set up for multiple sensor inputs.) This circuit consisted of a laser pointed from one sensor to a led on its opposite sensor. This relationship was used to conditionally only take readings from the sensors if this beam was broken, adding robustness to the code and reducing the chance of accidental interaction with the controls.