Biology Abstracted

Biology Abstracted is a table that responds musically and visually to people’s breaths and heart beats. It experiments with how people connect differently when they sync breaths or pulses and invites a meditative and hypnotic experience. It was presented as an installation at Bee Cave Buzzfest and remained on show at the Hive Gallery until May 14. The piece cycles through 4 main visuals and sound scapes.

INSTRUCTIONS

Biology Abstracted responds musically and visually to users’ heart beats. To use, lightly place your thumb over the green pulse sensor. The graphic will begin pulsing in size with your heart beat after ~10 seconds.

Single User:

• Graphic size pulses with heart beat

• Graphic color changes with heart rate variability, which measures stress

• (Red = more stressed, Purple = more relaxed)

• Music effects change with inhale/exhale

• Music BPM is set by heart BPM

Dual Users:

• Central graphic appears when users inhale or exhale together

• Central graphic spirals when hearts beat simultaneously

• Bass sound booms when hearts beat simultaneously

• Music BPM is set by average of both heart BPMs

Quick discussion shown below on how the graphics and Arduino work.

Demonstration of mapping MIDI to sound shown below.

Short excerpt of how visuals look shown below.