DIMENSIONS
4 elastic bands 91cm long, each band holding 3 speakers, wooden frame 91 x 210cm
MATERIALS
12 Dayton base shakers, wooden frame, elastic bands, joystick or drawing pad, laptop running Linux OS, electronics
HOW IS THE PROTOTYPE MADE?
A tactile wall panel that can be easily moved or reconfigured. It uses 12 transducers and 12 audio channels. It is controlled using a drawing pad and a Linux computer running a Pure Data patch. It is currently configured as a 3 x 4 transducer grid, but different shapes or configurations could be created.
HOW IS THE PROTOTYPE USED?
The tactile wall activates a surface that the body can lean against, as against a wall. A participant can use a joystick or a drawing tablet to “draw” a vibration pattern in the wall. The pattern can be saved and replayed. The patch allows a user to either play a sound file through the wall or play tones through the wall. The tactile wall is meant to feel comfortable for people, and is adjustable to different heights of users. Future plans for this prototype include the possible incorporation of a movement recognition system that could track the movement of performance artists or dancers and translate them into a sound and/or vibrotactile experience on the wall.
