Neuro stimulation

For a while i have been looking at Michael Persinger God helmet experiment, I think the discussion around this experiment was really interesting, and for me has been an opportunity to investigate the realm of psychology further. I got in touch with him to ask some questions about the technology and the experimental process. I decided to make a modified version of the god helmet to work with my Enki interface. here is a view Inside the neuro-stimulation device there are 4 coils which oscillate with magnetic frequencies, i have been using MAX MSP to drive these using electrical pulses. The magnetic coils are fitted to an elastic band which fits over the head, to the back of the head is a junction box, and the two coil arrays sit at the side of the head near the temporal lobes.

Brain waves

In preperation for the next ENKi event, me and Greg spent the day testing the neuro-graphic interface; as an experiment we patched a strong frequency via MIDI to a MAX patch so our brains were modulating all kinds of strange sounds. I dont yet fully understand MIDI – but Later this will combine with the enki interface as a form of feedback.  In this image you can see the  graphics of the brain activity and the  receiver boxes – the sensors are wireless and stuck to our foreheads.

Pond life

Here is the original drawing from a project to create a sustainable ecosystem inside a globule of water (1999-2004) – I am just modifying this to include the addition of a laser to detect micro acoustic sounds and sub-sonic architectural noise. the droplet of liquid acts as a natural sensitive body – that can modulate the laser, acting like a lens.

Shielded Tents

Shielded Tents are based on the Faraday cage principle and are used to cut out electromagnetic interference – (wif, phone signals etc)

I have been considering using one of these to put people in while they interface with the fish. People have been making foil lined clothes to block out RFID scanners – so I am thinking I will need to make my own cage using a foil lining. as these cages are well expensive.
http://www.hollandshielding.com/faraday/shieldedtents.php

Fish Perform Spatial Pattern Recognition and Abstraction

I have been fascinated by this project – Part 2 of the ENKI project will be based around this particular experiment…

Christian Graff, Gwenaël Kaminski, Michael Gresty, and Théophile Ohlmann

“We presented the fishes with different spatial structures, each consisting of a similar tube of insulating material, with eight electrodes set into the inside surface of the tube and wired to a switchboard outside the tank. Depending on the way electrodes were externally interconnected, these assemblies created different “shapes” in space. The shapes were 3D patterns of distortion in the electrical flux issuing from the fish’s electric organ. They formed virtual objects or places that could not be distinguished by visual, mechanical, or chemical means but only existed through electricity, similar to the way in which virtual objects or places on a TV screen only exist through light. In order to perform our tasks, the fish had to actively explore the maze by “scanning” with its electrical field and sensing distortion patterns caused by sinks and sources of flux.”

http://www.sciencedirect.com Current Biology
Volume 14, Issue 9, 4 May 2004, Pages 818-823

God helmet – Michael Persinger

neurologist Michael Persinger created a helmet modified with electrical coils that can create electromagnetic fields in the wearer’s temporal lobes that induces “religious” experiences in the people who put it on. I think the low-fi experimental devises he has made are excellent – I have seen several different types and it seems that some people are making these to order – although they seem relatively easy to recreate.
http://www.geocities.com/satanicus_2/GodHelmet.html

“This is a device to investigate whether religious, spiritual, and mystical experiences had a natural rather than a supernatural source. He speculates that we are somehow programmed so that they can generate religious experiences via our brain’s internal processes. He had noted that there were many points of similarity between seizures experienced by some individuals who suffered from epilepsy, and the types of mental and spiritual experiences that St. Paul, Moses, and many religious mystics had reported. 3 Persinger wondered if visions, a sense of the immediate presence of God, and other mystical experiences could be artificially created in the laboratory by magnetically inducing changes in the temporal lobes of a person’s brain.”

Owl project – Lovebytes

Here is a video taken during the Lovebytes festival – we got rained on quite a lot so there was none much to watch -

We are making a log into a leg – this is a race that pole lathe experts do to prove their skill – they do it in 9mis to make two perfect chair legs – it took us about 3 hours to make one bad one – but its ok because its art.

check out the site www.owlproject.com for full info…

Binary Jam – Liverpool

I did a performance for this event organised by Markus Soukup as part of the Sound Network (Binaural Orchestra (G Byatt, D. Stockton & Guests), Modulus (Antony Hall), Apple & Can (Moebius & Igor Hax), Plus Projection By John O’Shea (‘Photography Where The Shutter Is Not Open’)

The performance was based arround the concept of  amplitude modulation. The earliest experiment using the concept of AM transmission was made at Bell Laboratories – where they used a water jet to record the conversation and ambient sounds in a room and etch these to wax cylinder. C.V. Boys demonstrated the ability of a water jet to amplify the sound of a ticking clock and a tuning fork.

During the performance for binary Jam I placed Daphnia in a droplet placed on a sensor; the water drop created a lens. The sounds were created as the creatures passed through the laser and creating distortions with the movement of the body and antennas – as well as the effect of the creature bouncing on and off the wall of the droplet causing the lens to shake and oscillate – creating a drum like reverberation.

I also used a USB interface with 8 light sensors controlled by candles to generate harmonic frequencies and drones with MAX MSP.

Greg Byatt kindly took these images…

Daphnia – contained in droplet on light sensors.

Droplet with laser transmitting through it.

ENKI demonstartion

ENKI interface
Test and demonstration of prototype

My self and Gregory Byatt ran this event last year – and are due to do it again this year – only a bit differently – the thing will hopefully sue more visualization and actively use the neuro-feedback (through interfacing it with MAX MSP)

Documentation of first event;
Museum of Science and Industry Manchester, 7th October 2006

A multi media participatory experiment using live Electric Fish, real time neurographic interface visualising brain-wave activity, sound and live video. ENKI is an immersive sensory experience that explores the relationship between art and health, or more specifically, creates a therapeutic exchange between Humans and Electric Fish. It is part the HFID project dedicated to research in cross species (human and fish) communication and commune.

See the film here…
The participants become part of experimental research, as we record brain wave data and monitor the behaviour of the electric fish during the experiment. The electrical activity of the fish is experienced as sound and light via ENKI (a stroboscopic high frequency led placed close to eye lid) and the natural binaural frequencies produce by the interaction and communication between Black Ghost Knife fish. Participants bio-electric field is connected to the aquarium allowing the fish to sense a human (bio)electric image or presence.

electric fish – ENKI project 2007

The second phase of the ENKI project starts next week – in preperation for its next showing at the European Forum for emerging creation, Luxembourg.