For my smart clothing and programming course, I was tasked with creating an interactive surface design that responds to sound input, including the human voice or music. The surface design needed to be realized with textile materials and embedded electronics operated by Micro-Python programming. We were encouraged to apply a variety of surface design techniques such as laser cutting, origami, free-motion stitches, digital printing, applique, felting, smocking, and photo transfer.
My project, titled Luminescence, utilized laser-cutting, soldering, spray painting, and textile applications to create a surface design. A microphone, a microcontroller, actuator (e.g., LEDs) were utilized along with a breadboard to develop a circuit. Pulse Width Modulation was also employed to adjust the output level from the actuators. The finished project is a stand-alone system that does not need to be connected to an external power source or computing device.
Inspiration: The inspiration behind Luminescence was a scene from Life of Pi. Specifically, I wanted to recreate a version of the luminescent whale scene, as I felt that it would be both visually enticing to recreate but also holds deep meaning. Additionally, I have great admiration and fascination with whales, as I used to have recurring whale dreams and spent much of my childhood by the beach.
Justification: One perspective of the whale scene encapsulates the paradoxical quality of how nature, much like human life, can be both beautiful and perilous. In this scene, Pi is surrounded by luminescent jellyfish which appear beautiful but also have the ability to physically hurt him. The fact that the LEDs in my project respond to sound almost create the illusion that the ocean/fish/nature are beckoning or luring in the viewer through responding to auditory stimuli, emphasizing the temptation of beauty without awareness of danger. Thus, the unique, interactive imagery of my piece provides an interesting and thought-provoking work for the viewer to experience and analyze.
