Cubing the Sphere is an immersive virtual installation that I completed with Dave Stitch for the VRHAM! Festival, in Hamburg, Germany.
Dave recorded three audio parts: Dex7 (mid frequencies), VITAL ( low frequencies ) and J-8plinx ( high frequencies ) and I responded with three audio driven animations.
Ziggurat Vital (Low Frequencies)
Ziggurat Dex7 (Mid Frequencies)
Ziggurat 8plinx (Hi Frequencies)
We wanted to see if we could make engaging audiovisual experiences that can be fluidly translated in both AR and VR that also have a performance element. The visuals are a continuation of our previous collaboration, Nonlinearthe. The animations for Cubing the Sphere are audio driven from Dave’s recording. Each composition has a distinct personality reflected by the mood / volume / frequency of the audio.
The Zigguart - Augmented reality (AR)
For the Augmented reality component, these Animations were converted to 3d sculptures and turned into an interactive AR scene.
Cubing the Sphere - Augmented Reality
Vital Sphere - Augmented Reality
Dex7 and 8Plinx Sphere - Augmented Reality
Occlusion / Augmented reality
Each of the three virtual 3d sculptures can be triggered by moving any iOS device towards to the object. A pulsing animation symbolises that the audio is toggled on / off.
With Spatial audio this virtual installation can be experienced properly in 3d - the audio pans and volume adjusts dynamically based on your location relative to the sculpture in mixed reality .
Click the link or QR code below to load the augmented reality file on any iOS device.
https://tinyurl.com/hemwe68x
The Zigguart - Virtual reality (VR)
We built a simple VR environment to work with spatial audio using Hubs.
Using spatial audio in VR, the users relative position to the 3 speakers adjusts the volume. Any movement within the 3d space dynamically alters the composition to output a unique sound every time.
Click the above image to experience this in VR
We have considered the 8 corners of a cubic space and we are proposing that we engineer music that uses the 8 directional positions as sound sources. We have then visualised the frequencies of those waveforms and wrapped them into a 3D mesh for animating.
Location of all 8 speakers for full 8d sound in VR
Squaring the circle is a the challenge of constructing a square with the same area as a given circle by using only a finite number of steps. Cubing the sphere is the 3d equivalent
We're excited about creating environments that help the public to appreciate sound in provocative new ways. The immersive nature of VR makes focus effortless and accentuate the meditative nature of audio united with visuals.
The three compositions are available to view in Hubs through browser or VR:
https://hub.link/fnK5Xgx
(VR room code 647399)
Click the above image to experience this in VR
Cubing the Sphere - Next Steps
Lockdown in Germany has unfortunately prevented the progression of the project into the physical domain. Here is a brief rundown of what we were looking to execute in Hamburg:
Using AR, we’d like to propose the distribution of these 8d sound installations around the city. The audio will be housed in virtual 3d sculptures in designated areas around Hamburg. The public would be able to "remix" these sound installations, by using proximity / gestures to trigger samples.
We propose using parks and public open spaces, such as Lighthouse Zero or the Bismarck Monument, as venues for our AR sculptures. They must allow space for audiences to interact and move through the pieces safely, preferably with headphones, in order to trigger and remix the soundscapes. We will then curate a dance based performance based in these locations to showcase our work to the festival, and to the wider international community via a livestream
By removing the camera function in AR & wearing headphones, the focus shifts to exploring and discovering hidden sounds in a physical space. There is scope for performing artists to compose a track through movement alone.
This is not just limited to performing artists, the AR experience is accessible and available to anyone that can hold a phone in one hand. The experience is not just immersive for the user, it could be broadcast to a crowd with a simple bluetooth speaker.
This is not just limited to performing artists, the AR experience is accessible and available to anyone that can hold a phone in one hand. The experience is not just immersive for the user, it could be broadcast to a crowd with a simple bluetooth speaker.
Can the audience become a vital part of the artwork: their movements creating their own unique audio-visual experience?
