// CALL FROM THE BLUE
For my Senior Project in New Media, which was completed and exhibited in May 2024, I created an interactive, audio/visual exhibition showcasing various cetacean species and their individual vocalizations. I created this piece using various mediums, technologies, and software.
The whole setup works like this: As the viewer gets either closer or farther away from the distance sensor, the audio tracks would switch between themselves when the distance variable reached a certain value. At the same time the movement from the kinetic whale model would move faster or slower and the color of the LED would change depending on the distance between the viewer and the sensor. The frequency and amplitude of the audio tracks drove the switching between the images.
In the second part of the piece, which was accessible by scanning a QR code, I created a series of animated videos that combined spectrographic data from audio samples of whale vocalizations and 3D mapped them to 3D models of their respective species. I created and rendered out these animations using Blender 4.0 and a plugin called AudVis.
The project’s intended purpose was to bring awareness to the sentience and sensitivity of these animals and the importance their roles have on ocean ecosystems. It also Illustrated the impact human activity, through imagery, has on these creatures. I felt that by creating tactile and physical objects will feel more personal to the viewer than just projecting images of them on a screen. Adding audio and interactivity added an additional dimension to the experience of what I wanted to demonstrate.
Materials used: 3D models, 3D printing, projection, audio samples, electronics, distance sensor, addressable LED, DC motor, microcontroller, scannable code.
Software used: Arduino, TouchDesigner, Blender, Cura, Reaper, Photoshop, PromeAI, QR code generator.
All sources are within their respective YouTube videos shown at the top of this page. //