Se Mi Sei Vicino
| Theme: | Sense & Sensibility |
| Date: | 03.03.08 |
| Author: |
Se Mi Sei Vicino (If you are close to me) from Sonia Cillari actualizes emotional structures of inner spaces. It is a sensor floor on which a performer is standing, functioning as a human antenna…
The interactive performance Se Mi Sei Vicino (If you are close to me) is a practical research into the possibility of using the 'Body as Interface: Our body doesn’t end at our skin. There is just the illusion of boundary between our insides and the outside’.
The main point of departure was the idea to measure human encounters, with the participants realizing that the boundaries of the self extend beyond their skins. A core element of the work is a sensor floor on which a performer is standing, functioning as a human antenna; when coming close to or being touched by members of the audience, the body movements are registered as electromagnetic activity. Surrounding the floor are large projections showing real-time algorithmic organisms connected to audio compositions, which change form according to fluctuations in the electromagnetic field. The relative distance between the bodies determines what is to be seen and heard. This work has to be considered in relation with the tradition of performance and installation art, which problem’s the distinction between active performers and passive spectators.
The human encounters are measured with the help of Electric Field Sensing (EFS) technology, making changes in closeness or distance visible and audible. The sensor system captures the energy interference, bio-magnetic fields, in and around the human bodies standing on and moving over the interface. This bio-kinetic energy information, depending on the users' relative position, is translated onto screens and acoustic coordinates.
The interface consists of a sensor floor, made by a grid of electromagnetic Radio Frequency proximity sensor plates tracking electromagnetic signals and foot position. By stepping on the sensor floor the system generates a low-frequency and low-voltage electric signal that reacts to the capacitance of the participants' body: the body acts as a transmit antenna. Wearable magnetic sensors allow performing in real-time 3D graphics and sound sequences through natural and expressive hand gestures and arms movements.
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