Digital Aquarium

Category
Installation
Date
Dec 2022
Scope
MaxMSP Programming, Experience Design, Prototyping

Digital Aquarium

The Digital Aquarium is an interactive audio-visual built with Max/MSP/Jitter and Arduino. The goal of this project was centered on designing for unique interactivity and integrating functions with multiple inputs, including knobs and proximity sensors. The software components were designed and built mostly in MaxMSP and integrated with Arduino hardware. Additionally, the physical enclosure was designed in Solidworks and constructed using a laser cutter.

The final design is a small-scale prototype running on a laptop. The software is ultimately intended to run on a larger scale, allowing for increased immersion and improved interaction.

The Digital Aquarium is an interactive audio-visual built with Max/MSP/Jitter and Arduino. The goal of this project was centered on designing for unique interactivity and integrating functions with multiple inputs, including knobs and proximity sensors. The software components were designed and built mostly in MaxMSP and integrated with Arduino hardware. Additionally, the physical enclosure was designed in Solidworks and constructed using a laser cutter.

The final design is a small-scale prototype running on a laptop. The software is ultimately intended to run on a larger scale, allowing for increased immersion and improved interaction.

Process

Audio

  • Additive synth built with sine waves and white noise
  • Sensors control LFO rate and amplitude of the noise
  • Potentiometers control frequency and number of signals

Visual

  • Blending licensed footage and manipulating effects
  • Sensors control feedback levels, blending amounts, pixel displacement, and other effects
  • Visual effect parameters are mapped with peak and average amplitude levels of the audio

Max-MSP-Jitter Code

Physical Prototype