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Let There Be Light! (and some sound)
After a productive series of meetings in which design and implementation
of alternate virtual environments for SPIN were discussed, a rather foolish
group of individuals decided to investigate various lighting environments
in the delightfully brisk conditions of the Times Up workshops during
winter. Throughout the course of the meetings (within the Times Up Raumforschungsprogram),
which primarily took place during November 2001, it was concluded that
investigations into the responsiveness of the SPIN interface to a variety
of alternate light sources would be beneficial. Seeking an alternative
to the data projectors conventionally used with spin, a selection of dmx/midi
controlled lights were acquired for the greater good of science.
The following 2 weeks of tests also involved some acoustic dabblings,
which were generally utilized to compliment the visual stimuli. The environments
were broken into a few primary areas. The use of stroboscopic lighting
and the use of directional lighting consisting of broader white light
sources (consisting of an array of 12 par 64 lights)
Personally, I have a certain fondness for the area of psychopysiological
manipulation and entrainment so I was rather enthused about the environments
consisting of high intensity stroboscopic lighting. After a fleeting jaunt
in SPIN I was by no means disappointed. The strobes undoubtedly produced
an extremely intense and disorienting environment. Flicker frequencies
ranging from approximately 1Hz to near flicker fusion at 50 Hz or so were
examined. I was of the opinion that the higher frequencies had a considerably
more profound effect on the users visual system however this was a more
personal thing, with other individuals being somewhat more disturbed by
slower rates. Perhaps subconsciously I had a delusional hope that the
higher frequencies would produce more radiant heat from the lights and
subsequently warm the freezing working environment. Sadly I was mistaken.
Nevertheless "onwards!"
The
behavior of the lights were controlled via a number of parameters. Flicker
frequency and intensity were controlled via the userìs velocity,
so the individual could readily manipulate their visual environment with
instant feedback. The userìs coordinates in a virtual space were
also utilized to determine whether a sense of space could be interpreted
from a range of lighting intensities. This proved to be a useful control
mechanism in the subsequent tests involving general illumination. All
in all, the strobes provided a very strong visual stimulus that could
not be achieved via any other means and may be useful in future SPIN environments
when used in conjunction with data projected virtual spaces. The given
parameters, however, did not lend themselves to a more rigorous examination
of brain wave entrainment (in which the individuals alpha, beta and theta
brain patterns are entrained or (synced up to the same frequency of the
flash for example). This was primarily due to the fact that flash rates
varied immensely with velocity so there was never any long term flash
rate stability which would be pivotal to the success of such tests. No
severe reactions took place upon exposure of the test subjects to these
conditions even though the illumination of the sphere and the close proximity
of the lighting source combined to create substantial visual stimulus.
In all, the disorientation experienced tended to subside upon termination
of the stroboscopic light. I once had some curious visual disturbances
after spending a substantial amount of time within the space in which
my vision distorted in a cyclic manner whilst attempting to read small
print. These anomalies were however rather fleeting and I promptly returned
to the world of conventional vision the next day. I can only speculate
that these were directly related to the exposure, as prior to the occurrence
I had not experienced this. The dubious flicker frequencies usually associated
with photosensitive epilepsy and seizures in the range of 18 Hz also failed
to have any profound effect on the subjects, nor did the curious phenomena
of flicker vertigo induced by frequencies in the range of 8 Hz to 12 Hz
. This is not to say that this would be the case with a larger cross section
of the population.
The effectiveness of such stroboscopic manipulation was clearly demonstrated
on the 16th of December 1997 with the mass nausea and dizziness of hundreds
of children and seizures in others predisposed to photosensitive epilepsy.
The causal factor was a particularly unique sequence in the television
show Pokemon (screened in Japan) in which nothing more than a 4 second
sequence of flashing red , blue, white and black was enough to produce
blackouts and convulsions in a sizable group of individuals.
After a flurry of experiments with the strobe lights it was time for something
a little more subdued. After donning smoking jackets and with brandy balloons
in hand, we yet again retired to the SPIN space. This next series of tinkerings
examined individualìs control of larger and visually smoother lighting
spaces and also the use of moving lights around the surface of the sphere.
Unsurprisingly, these proved to be less draining on the user than the
stroboscopic environments.
The sonic component of these endeavors was generally focussed on enhancing
the visual stimulus. In this respect, sound intensities were mapped to
velocity and locations such that each light or user action had its own
acoustic identifier. Through the use of high intensity, low frequency
sound the resonant properties of SPIN were also examined. This was a curious
avenue as such pursuits primarily had the effect of torturing the poor
souls outside the sphere itself whilst the individual inside remained
mostly unscathed. These fiendish environmental surrounds were achieved
with the use of 2000 watts of acoustic energy in the frequency range of
40 Hz to 120 Hz. Although there were undoubtedly certain frequencies that
created sympathetic resonance with the sphereìs surface, there
was never any real indication in the frequency range examined of any substantial
internal resonance. It was curious to note however that with the entrance
of the sphere open quite substantial internal resonanceìs were
achieved. Having only headphone generated sound for the user whilst inside
SPIN always lacked the visceral qualities of these low frequency sounds.
Due to the general disdain of having to sit beside sizeable droning speakers,
whilst casually attempting to glean some fruitful information from the
experience, this foolish caper was swiftly terminated after a single delightful
session.
This fleeting excursion into non-Euclidean light spaces proved to be a
curious change from the data projected environments currently utilized
in SPIN with noticeably differing user experience outcomes. Further avenues
and extensions to this research could be explored in the areas of synaesthetic
experience of colour and sound in the environments and the addition of
biological control of the various parameters used.
ad dec 2001
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