Digital Aquarium
Exploring Dynamic Human-Computer Interaction Through Audio-Visual Art and Arudino Sensing
The Digital Aquarium explores new ways of interacting with digital technology through a small-scale audiovisual installation. Using Arduino sensors to bridge physical and digital realms, the project creates a responsive environment where viewers' movements and gestures directly influence the digital ecosystem in real time. This approach moves beyond conventional input methods, aiming to show how ambient computing can foster more natural and engaging user experiences.
Digital Aquarium Demo
System Details
The software was designed and written in MaxMSP and integrated with Arduino hardware. The physical enclosure prototype was designed in Solidworks and constructed with laser cutting as a means of testing interactions for a larger scale installation.
Audio
The audio system features an additive synthesizer constructed using sine waves and white noise. Various sensor inputs control different aspects of the sound: proximity sensors manage the LFO rate and noise amplitude, while potentiometers allow control over frequency and the number of signals being generated.
Visuals
The visual system combines texture and video blending with manipulation of glsl shader effects. Interactive elements include sensor-controlled feedback levels, blend amounts, and pixel displacement. The visual parameters are dynamically linked to the audio system, responding to both peak and average amplitude levels to create a cohesive audiovisual experience.
MaxMSP Patch