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from crystals to sound

Sounds of Structure is an interactive machine that generates sounds from crystals. It aims to show interesting, but complicated scientific facts in a way that anyone can appreciate them by turning them into sound and visuals.

Sounds of Strucute uses seven different crystals, each belonging to one of the seven crystal structures. These structures represent all the posible shapes in which monecules can be aranged to create crystals. Using an algorithm, the formulas discribing these shapes, are turned into seven unique soundwaves and with that seven unique sounds.

The machine itself contains these seven crystals and uses them to demonstrate another property of crystals: they can polerize light. By rotating the crystals above a already polerized lightsource the intensity of the light shining trought the crystal will increase and decrase four times in one rotation. The intensity of the light will in turn influence the volume of the sound corresponing to that crystal.

The user of Sounds of Structure gets to take control over the lights and the rotation speed of the crystals. Thereby they are able to compose with the scientific propertys of crystals while enjoying the sight of glowing stones and the sounds of the ambiant soundscape they create.



Material: Wood, Polaristation Filters, Stepper Motors, Lightbulbs, Crystals, Teensy, Raspberry Pi 2 B+

Software: Arduino, Rasbian, Pure Data

Expositions:
LAUNCH 2018 (30-06-18 // 04-07-18)
GOGBOT 2018 (06-09-18 // 09-09-18)
Maker Faire Eindhoven (29-09-18 // 30-09-18)
Dutch Design Week - IMPACT (20-10-18 // 28-10-18)
Shaping Data (29-10-18 // 03-11-18)
IngeKOPt Talent (26-01-19)
TECART (06-02-19 // 10-02-19)
Night of the Nerds (21-05-19)

Grants / Awards:
St.joostpenning 2018 (nomination)
GOGBOT YoungBlood Awards (nomination)

Date:
June 2018


Glowing Crystals

Controlls

Soundwaves