2004 Rockefeller New Media Foundation Proposal

Abstract

Our proposal is to create an essentially invisible installation that generates music from movement. We propose an installation that will transform body motions into music, while remaining essentially invisible. We will create a play space for social interaction through sound/movement exploration, in which motion detectors record and translate the gestures of one or multiple participants into musical phrases. Different types of movement will elicit different types of sonic response: For example, gestural repetition will be registered and given back as rhythmic patterns. As "players" explore the space like a musical instrument, they find they can engage in a non-linguistic communication. In the absence of visual focus, participants interact with each other instead of with a surface or object. The possibilities for play are not limited by the person's age, education or cultural bias.