Brian Dudak, Frank W. Carroccino and WiiWhorld - presented by Chris Korda, Jeff Mission, and Jen Rosselli: WiiWhorld translates human movement into digital art - using the Nintendo Wiimote as a real-time controller for the visual software synth Whorld. The WiiWhorld project, which is built upon the principles of free, open-source software and low-cost, readily available technologies, empowers people to explore modern technology as a means of personal expression.

Dafna Naphtali is a sound-artist and improviser-composer from an eclectic musical background. As singer/guitarist/electronic-musician she performs and composes using custom sound processing of voice and other instruments. Besides her composing and improvised projects, she co-leads the digital chamber punk ensemble What is it Like to be a Bat? with Kitty Brazelton (http://www.whatbat.org) and has collaborated/performed with Lukas Ligeti, David First, Joshua Fried, Ras Moshe, Alexander Waterman, Kathleen Supové and Hans Tammen, among others and done sound design and programming for Jin Hi Kim, Shelley Hirsch, Pamela Z, Phoebe Legere, Fred Frith, Jim Staley, Henry Threadgill, Steve Coleman, Chico Freeman and others. Dafna can be heard with Mechanique(s) on a forthcoming release on In-situ, and was featured vocalist on José Halac’s CD “Dance of 1000 Heads” (Tellus), as well as on her acclaimed release with What is it Like to be a Bat? on Tzadik/Oracles.

Dafna’s residency involved dynamically controlled algorithmic improvisation, using vocal cues, Morse code and Wii controllers to elicit beat frequencies, trigger and manipulate LEMUR percussion robots and shred on Guitar bot.

Andrew Schneider is a multimedia designer and performer whose work investigates human/technological interdependence. He is the co-founder and Associate Artistic Director of the Chicago-based theatre company, BigPictureGroup. His solo performance work has been seen at P.S.122, Monkeytown, The Prelude Festival, and The Tank. His multimedia devices have been featured in Art Review, Wired, TimeOut NY, Maker Faire, SIGGRAPH, Dorkbot, the Telfair Art Museum, and at the Center Pompidou in Paris. His Solar Bikini has been featured internationally and is slated to be featured in the next Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. His latest projects include Experimental Devices for Performance (.com) and Acting Stranger (.com). Andrew Holds a Masters Degree in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. He is currently working with The Wooster Group. (http://andrewjs.com)

Doing musical theatre with robots used to be Andrew’s standard joke answer to the question “So what do you want to do with your life?” Finally, a life-long dream comes true. He plans to start with a dance number, interfacing his movements with the robots via custom-built wearable controllers.

Born in New York City, Simon Morris (US/France) is a new media artist exploring urban landscapes, new musical interfaces and skateboarding. Investigating new forms of musical expression, his work examines technology and its role as a socially engaged art practice. He has conducted live performances at Eyebeam, NYC, the Article Biennale 2006 in Stavanger, Norway, the KiasmaMuseum in Helsinki, Finland and the Barker Theatre in Turku, Finland.

Simon is planning an interactive musical performance orchestrated by the movements of three skateboards.

By subway:

Take the F/M/R to 4th Ave. and walk one block down either 9th or 10th St. to 3rd Ave. LEMURplex is on 3rd Ave. between 9th & 10th Sts. Or, take the F/G to Smith & 9th Sts. and walk two blocks up 9th. Cross and then turn right onto 3rd Ave.

The program (Pure Data) runs on a mini PC which is plugged into the aux jack of the car HiFi. Information about the drive is captured by a Wiimote controller, fixed with a suction cup inside the windshield, which continuously sends data concerning the XYZ movements of the car. The Infra Red sensor has been adapted (the filter taken out), so that it detects position and size of any luminous objects (headlamps or tail lights of other cars, areas of sunlight or shade etc).

The vibrations from the Wii are continuously written into lookup tables (one for each axis), then read as audio (wavetable oscillators). This means that while pitch (the tune) is defined algorithmically within the program, the timbre of the sounds varies according to vibrations of the motor and other movements of the car. These movements are analyzed and categorized to distinguish bends, accelerations, decelerations, bumps in the road and standstill. These events are used to trigger variations on sequences which are automatically generated whenever the car stops.

AutoSync will soon be available for sale. The version of the program demonstrated in the video (scroll down) is progressing on a daily basis to provide more and more varied sounds and compositions. In the future, other composers and artists will be invited to work on different setups for the program so that eventually the user will be able to choose between musics generated from programs by these collaborators.

Peter Sinclair is a member of the research group Locus Sonus audio in art and professor at L’Ecole Superieur d’Art d’Aix-en Provence. The idea for the project AutoSync originated in a conversation with Lydwine Van der Hulst (at that time member of Locus Sonus).

With thanks to G. H. Hovagimyan.

The creation, dubbed “Stribe” by Josh, could have been a one-off. But instead, he’s working on making it into a tool for others, with completely open source hardware and software. The whole system is built on the popular Arduino platform, making it uncommonly easy to modify. It’s a work in progress, as you can see lacking an enclosure. But ten have made it out into the wild, people are already programming custom software, and more are coming.

I got to hang out with Josh while he was in town this weekend. Luckily, he’s a fan of early music, meaning we met at a concert of a viol consort that was playing my music — an unusual collision of 15th and 21st Century music technology.

Josh gave a demo of the Stribe, for myself plus Phil Torrone of Make and Limor Fried (aka lady ada), creator of the x0xb0x open-source 303 clone. It’s still a project in process– there’s more to be done in firmware and support software and documentation — but it already shows some real promise. I snapped some shots, studied the Max patches, and mostly listened to Limor and Josh talk about the challenges of starting a DIY hardware business. (I hope that DIY builders start to share experiences, even informally, as they work to make the business end work so they can keep building.)…” continue reading Hands-on, Interview: Stribe Multi-Touch Controller by Peter Kirn.

According to the very limited information on the site, DNA, mRNA and Protein sequences are translated into MIDI to generate the sound and control the image variables in realtime. When presented in live performance a MIDI controller is used. The gene information and sequences are available here. Other audio samples are available here.

In January 2008, LEMUR will inaugurate ReSiDeNt, a unique new creator-in-residence program, hosted at LEMUR’s Brooklyn space in Park Slope. Each month, we will award three artists a month-long residency at LEMUR, enabling them to create a work utilizing LEMUR’s resources, including robotic musical instruments, MIDI audio/video controllers, video projection and tracking system and more. Each group of residencies will culminate in a public show at LEMUR at the end of the month.

LEMUR’s staff will provide technical support to residents for learning and utilizing our resources. For early residencies, we will give preference to artists with a reasonable degree of technical skill with computer art. As the year progresses, we will be able to give a higher level of technical support, possibly including programming, electronic design and more.

The deadline to apply for January’s residencies is Monday, December 17th. Announcement of January’s residency awards will be announced the following week.

Subsequent deadlines will be rolling, allowing artists to submit applications to be considered for future residencies throughout the year. The application process is outlined below and will also be posted to LEMUR’s web site shortly.

Applying to ReSiDeNt

The application process is designed to be easy. Mainly, we want to see your qualifications and past work and get a sense of the type of work you would do at a LEMUR residency.

All applications are accepted via email to resident [at] lemurbots.org. Please include the following information in your email.

Part 1: Contact Information

Name
Address
Email
Cell number
Alt number

Part 2: Work Samples

Send URLs of video, audio, photos and text documenting your past projects. Please indicate which works you would like us to view, in which order, and what role you had in creating the work.

We prefer to receive all work samples online. You may also attach files up to 1 MB total. If you need to email larger files which you can not put online, please contact us in advance for ftp information. If you must mail hard copy of work, you can send it to LEMUR, 461 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11215, attn: ReSiDeNt.

Part 3: Artist Resume/CV

Send us your artist resume or CV in plain text, Word or PDF format. Important - please make sure to include a list of your technical skills relevant to the residency.

Part 4: Proposal Sketch

Send us your idea or ideas for what you might do during a LEMUR residency. Include which instruments and resources you envision working with (see below). Your project does not need to be conceived in full at this time, but please instill in us the confidence that you have a reasonable plan in mind and that you can realize a work in a month’s time.

FAQ

What instruments, systems and other resources will be available to me?

GuitarBot, XyloBot, ModBots (percussion bots), HydroBots (water-based bots), Slime-o-trons (slime controllers), Chime-o-tron (MIDI wind chimes), Slink-o-trons (slinky controllers), Sonic Banana (bend controller), Ascension Flock of Birds 6-DOF tracking system with 3 trackers, sensors, MidiTron and MidiTron Wireless sensor interfaces, floor-projected video with video tracking overlay, wall-projected video, PA, PTZ camera, broadband internet, Mac and PC computers, MIDI keyboard, software (Max/MSP/Jitter, Isadora, Digital Performer, etc.). In addition, LEMUR is constantly working on new instruments, which will be made available as they are created.

How much time will I be able to spend at LEMUR working on my project?

You can spend as much time as you want, subject to scheduling with LEMUR staff. Generally, someone is there Monday through Friday from 10 am until 8 pm, and weekend times can be arranged as necessary.

Does my work have to utilize LEMUR’s instruments and equipment?

Yes. A major goal of this residency program is to partner with a variety of artists to create new work for LEMUR instruments.

What length is my work expected to be?

For performances, we would like a minimum of 20 minutes of work. For music, a 40-45 minute set would be highly desirable. Installations would normally be ongoing, though we would hope that any one user would be engaged for 5 minutes or more.

Is there any stipend or other support money?

This is an unfunded residency program, so there is no stipend or support money. The support we provide is in the form of in-kind
donations of our time, space and resources.

Do I have to do a performance, or is an installation ok?

Installations are fine and encouraged. Preference will be given to interactive installations over non-interactive ones.

To realize my work, I want to create new software/Max patches/electronics but I don’t know how. Can someone at LEMUR help me?

Not at this time. We don’t have the resources to develop custom technology outside the scope of our own work. However, if you have a technologist that will commit to partnering with you, you are welcome to propose this.

I have a great idea but I’ve never done computer art before? Should I apply?

At the early stages of this program, we will probably not be able to support artists who do not have reasonable skills in implementing their work.

I live outside of New York City. Can you provide room and board?

We can’t, but you probably already have a friend with a sofa in New York City.

Will there be future opportunities to show the work I create after the end-of-month show?

The best work to come out of ReSiDeNt will likely have future opportunities to be shown. LEMUR stages performances and
installations around the world, and we are always looking to incorporate new work.

What are some examples of projects you will consider?

Compositions for the robots
Interactive performances with the robots and/or controllers
Interactive installations with the robots and/org controllers
Interactive dance with the robots
Theater pieces or performance art with the robots
Interactive video installations incorporating the robots

My discipline doesn’t fall into your listed categories. Can I still apply?

Definitely. These are simply examples, and we will consider work from any discipline if we feel it is possible to realize at our space.

Do I have to come in with a project idea from the beginning?

You do not have to come in with a fully formed project, but you should have an idea of what you want to do and should outline this in your application. You can develop the specifics of your project within the time frame of the residency. Also, feel free to bounce ideas off us before applying.

What if my work will take longer than a month to complete?

We can only devote one month of work time to each artist. If you need more time but can do your preliminary work off-site prior to the residency month, we will consider this.

Please feel free to contact us with any other questions you may have.

Arduino Sound Part 2: Hello World: This is the second in a series of articles about generating sound with an Arduino. In this article we take a small step; “Hello World” for Arduino sound. We prepare for our future experiments by hooking up a PC or powered speaker so we can hear the Arduino sing. Also see Arduino Sound Part 3: Playing a Melody.

Symphony for 54 Shoes is a kinetic artwork that involves 27 pairs of shoes collected from a variety of second hand and thrift stores. Each shoe has a toe and heel tap used in tap dancing attached to it. The shoes move or dance independently of each other. The mechanical motion of tapping is created using solenoids (tubular magnetic sensors) that move up and down when activated by a switch. Each switch, 52 in total, is controlled by a microcontroller and software that activates the sequence of the tapping of the shoes.

This project continues my exploration of non-screen based computer technology to create works that interact with, confront and/or incorporate the physical world. I try to bring the complexity of the real world and experience into the digital experience, to complicate the relations between the virtual and material realms, to create works that situate themselves in the world in rich sensory, tactile and sonic ways. I am interested in the idea of tender, even pathetic, technology, to use technology for ends that are not necessarily productive in the usual sense of the word.

wade is a public art project that is presented within an existing network of over 100 wading pools in Toronto, Canada. Sonar consists of a large sculptural cloud of mist in which the public is invited to enter. Sound is activated as people move through the mist and played back on speakers situated outside the perimeter of the wading pool area. These live sounds are amplified, modulated and delayed in real time.

The concept of this artwork is conveyed by its title Sonar - an apparatus that transmits high-frequency sound waves through water and registers the vibrations reflected from an object. In Sonar we invite the members of the extended Toronto community to re-experience these social spaces in order to reinvest in the notion of shared public experience.

Bachmann is the co-editor (with Ruth Scheuing) of Material Matters, a critical anthology on the relation of material and culture and has a chapter in a new anthology, The Object of Labor (ed. Joan Livingstone and John Ploof), published by MIT Press, 2007. Ingrid is a founding member of the Interactive Textiles and Wearable Computing Lab of Hexagram and is the Head of The Institute of Everyday Life. She is currently Associate Dean, Research and International Relations in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Bachmann is currently a guest on -empyre-.

Though they developed it to work on their upcoming app, full credit to artificialeyes.tv for releasing it as freeware to work with any software. More details and download over at artificialeyes.tv. [posted on Skynoise]

Bringing together 3 Software’s - VVVV, Max/MSP and Reason the WiiWiiWiiWii thesis project provides a system allowing for a set of Wiimotes to become a syneasthetic musical instruments. WiiWiiWiiWii looks like fun – it uses the Wiimote and Nunchuk to produce sounds and their graphical counterparts. The representation of sound comes in the form of a branch like structure with ‘notes’ growing from it – a kind of real time evolving organic score. [blogged on dataisnature]

WiiWiiWiiWii was produced by Claudio Midolo, Edgar Castellanos, Natan Sinigaglia & Pedro Mari.