tEChnOLOGICal communion: Introduction to SoftLab and early design sketches

Hello again!

I've been waiting to begin most of my work until my kit arrives, but as I am still waiting for it to arrive I realized I need to get some work done. Since our local SoftLab has opened up about a week ago, I began working at the same time as it opened up. In the video below you will be introduced to the working place and what potential it carries.

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tEChnOLOGICal communion: Introduction to SoftLab and early design sketches

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(For all fellow Flash refusers out there: https://goblinrefuge.com/mediagoblin/u/fraktalize/m/intro-to-softlab/  )

What I've been working with recently is mainly conceptualizing and trying to put the ideas down on paper. I've been making some early sketches on how the suit might look, and how I can expand on the concept. Since the kit still has not arrived I have decided to focus primarily on the music suit for this challenge, as I have been stumped on quite a bit of time. If the time allows, I will add the plant music into the equation and finish a prototype of the complete vision, but for now I've chosen to put most of my energy on the suit. It feels like it is the part most related to the challenge.

     First design sketch of the suit

Since the beginning of the project I have been thinking a lot about how to manifest what I truly want to. The idea is that the biological life of humans and the biological life of plants are unified through electronic music. Thus, I have considered adding things such as EEGs, heartbeat monitors and other things that could mirror the aspects of biological life. The neopixel setup at the chest would, conceptually, make a light show in conjunction with the heartbeat, and the pace of the music would follow the pace of the heart. I have also been thinking about how the suit should look, and since I love colors I want it to be a very colorful and geometrical suit. This sketch is just a very early sketch, and it is bound to change with time.

I have also been looking up different ways to create stretch sensors. There are a bunch of instructables that describe how to create stretch sensors - I believe I will have to try out some different ones and find which ones work best for my needs. I want the suit to smoothly read full body movements, so that the dancer can move fully intuitively without being distracted by trying to trigger the sensors. I want it to be a seamless experience. I'm thinking about where to place the stretch sensors, and below is a sketch of my initial ideas. I will have to experiment further before making a decision.

I am also considering other ways that movement can be used as a way to manipulate music. Altimeters, accelerometers, tilt sensors... There are a lot of fun tools out there which can be used to track different types of movement, and it is a field I will need to explore further!

So that is what I've been up to! More to come in a future update!