| contact name | Eric Gunther |
| artists' names | Eric Gunther |
| artists' locations | Cambridge, MA USA |
| art name | The Vibravibe VL-12 |
| art media | Vibrotactile lounge chair:
plywood, canvas, lycra velvet, low-frequency vibrotactile
transducers. Composition: music and vibrotactile compositions, control software. |
| art dimensions | 8' x 6' x 4' (approximately) |
| art date | 2005 |
| art description | Vibrotactile stimulation is often pigeonholed into the realms
of pleasure and relaxation. In fact, the ability of our sense of touch
to understand complex patterns - even language - has been illuminated
by several decades of haptic research.
Looking at vibration as a compositional medium - with the vibrations
themselves as aesthetic artifacts - we begin to see how many of the
dynamic, rhythmic, and harmonic structures of sonic vibrations in
music can be naturally extended to palpable vibrations. Space and
motion on the vast surface of the skin are essential parameters for
vibrotactile composition. The body becomes the stage for a dance that
is felt rather than seen.
Given their inherent similarities, vibrotactile stimulation and music
are natural partners for multimodal composition. This piece is an
extension of the Cutaneous Grooves Project in which Eric explored
multimodal composition between the auditory and haptic senses with a
vibrotactile body suit. The nascent state of vibrotactile stimulation
technology conjures images of the golden era of hi-fi audio. It is in
this spirit that the Vibravibe VL-12 is unveiled. It is truly the
cutting edge in hi-fidelity vibrotactilix.
Thanks to Jeff Lieberman, Justin Manor, Chris Parlato, John
Rothenberg, and Small Design Firm for their help with this project. |
| art proposal | The Vibraviber is a full-body vibrotactile stimulation device. It is strap-based reclining chair with 12 independently driven low-frequency vibrotactile transducers running in pairs along the length of the body. Users will
sit in the chair, put on a pair of headphones, and initiate playback of a synchronous sonic-vibrotactile composition.
The current state of vibrotactile stimulation technology - still in the infant stages - conjures up images of the golden era of hi-fi stereo systems during the 50s and 60s. The Vibraviber will be framed in this spirit - as the latest in hi-fidelity vibrotactilix. The physical chair design takes its cues from this aesthetic. For the show, I am also thinking about setting up the piece in the style of a shwroom from an old hi-fi shop - with rug, lamp, and endtable with vintage hi-fi style brochures. These extra pieces of furniture might also be used to hide the computer and amplifiers driving the chair.
I have not nailed down the content yet. I foresee using the composition as a means of tying the piece more into the theme of chance. For example, the compositions might be non-deterministic. |
| art placard | Vibrotactile stimulation is often pigeonholed into the
realms of pleasure and relaxation. Looking at vibration as a
compositional medium - with the vibrations themselves as aesthetic
artifacts - we begin to see how many of the dynamic, rhythmic, and
harmonic structures of sonic vibrations in music can be naturally
extended to palpable vibrations. Space and motion on the vast surface
of the skin are essential parameters and the body becomes the stage
for a dance that is felt rather than seen. Thanks to Jeff Lieberman,
Justin Manor, Chris Parlato, John Rothenberg, and Small Design Firm
for their help with this project. |