Hi Olga, all, This reminds me of an idea I thought of, while recently working at various factory machines.
/* background I */ The machine creates plastic punnets from a rolled up sheet of plastic. The punnets are stacked as they're produced by the machine after the stack is x high, pushed along a conveyor belt. (The mechanics of the machine in operation are very rhythmic but their repetitiveness dullifying. These machines are large, roughly 10 meters long, and 3 wide and high). The packer stands at the end of the conveyor belt and combines several stacks of punnets and packs them into a cardboard box. When the box is full, it is placed onto a conveyor belt which takes it to the stores. /* background II */ Although the work is mind-numbing, I do like physical work (though with this packing work my feet are mostly rooted-on-the-spot). So I was trying to figure out how I could combine physical work with mental work - programming, digital audio production, etc. /* the idea */ I've often been fascinated with trying to balance digital feedback systems in my work. We already have modular synthesis where objects are placed on screens and things flash and sounds pulse etc, but these things are tiny. How about a massive computer controlled machine - a simulcrum of factory machines? The physical output of the machine goes straight back in as input (ie something like the punnets and conveyor belt system). Outputs of the system would be physically pushed by the 'operator' (ie a converyor belt would be pushed/swivelled to re-direct 'output'. The machine itself, it's workings would be noise producing, but perhaps the operator - (the operator is part of the machine, a vital part of the system performing tasks the machine is unable to)... The operator could alter the rhythym of the machine - by failing to keep up with it. The physical aspect of keeping up the machine is important in this piece, so a balance is needed. Perhaps it is a musical machine, so the operator's performance, once operator is up to speed, could become more skillful. There would also been sensors along the physical output paths (ie conveyor belts etc) these would detect objects moving through the system, adding further rhythmic possibilities on top of the noise produced from the machine's workings. Anyway, I liked the idea and wanted to share it. If I win the Euro Lottery this week it will be realised. James. On 8/5/2009, "Olga" <[email protected]> wrote: >Yesterday I went to Space for the presentation of Simon Blackmore end >of Permaculture residency. Although the presentation was a bit >unprepared and unstructured we got to see some of his work. One >project he showed I found quite interesting was the Sound Lathe by the >Owl Project (of which Simon is a member). > >"Sound Lathe is a new piece of work by the Owl Project that explores >of the sonic properties of woodwork.The Sound Lathe produces audio >data, saw dust, noise and wood chippings. With this human powered >machine, turned spindles are shaped into complex sounds such as tones, >glitches and beats.." > >It is interesting because it combines a very physical procedure with >the production of electronic music. Contrary to what often happens >with experimental electronic music gigs where the musician sits in >front of his screen and the audience tries to guess whether he is >actually doing anything or playing a tune from VLC, in this case the >musician performs. The performance required an important physical >effort and it involves also the modeling of wood. I found this >intersection quite inspiring. > >There is a more information at their website, including videos and >documentation: > >http://www.owlproject.com/ > >-- >Olga >http://www.ungravitational.net >http://virtualfirefly.wordpress.com >_______________________________________________ >NetBehaviour mailing list >[email protected] >http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > > _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
