speaker.motion: A Mechatronic Loudspeaker System for Live Spatialisation

Bridget Johnson, Michael Norris, and Ajay Kapur

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

• Year: 2016
• Location: Brisbane, Australia
• Track: Papers
• Pages: 41–45
• DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1176046 (Link to paper)
• PDF link

Abstract:

This paper provides an overview of a new mechatronic loudspeaker system: speaker.motion. The system affords automated positioning of a loudspeaker in real-time in order to manipulate the spatial qualities of electronic music. The paper gives a technical overview of how the system's hardware and software were developed and the design criteria and methodology. There is discussion of the unique features of the speaker.motion spatialisation system and the methods of user interaction, as well as a look at the creative possibilities that the loudspeakers afford. The creative affordances are explored through the case study of two new pieces written for the speaker.motion system. It is hoped that the speaker.motion system will afford composers and performers with a new range of spatial aesthetics to use in spatial performances, and encourage exploration of the acoustic properties of physical performance and installation spaces in electronic music.

Citation:

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{Johnson2016,
 abstract = {This paper provides an overview of a new mechatronic loudspeaker
system: speaker.motion. The system affords automated positioning of a loudspeaker
in real-time in order to manipulate the spatial qualities of electronic music.
The paper gives a technical overview of how the system's hardware and
software were developed and the design criteria and methodology. There is
discussion of the unique features of the speaker.motion spatialisation system and
the methods of user interaction, as well as a look at the creative possibilities
that the loudspeakers afford. The creative affordances are explored through the
case study of two new pieces written for the speaker.motion system. It is hoped
that the speaker.motion system will afford composers and performers with a new
range of spatial aesthetics to use in spatial performances, and encourage
exploration of the acoustic properties of physical performance and installation
spaces in electronic music.},
 address = {Brisbane, Australia},
 author = {Bridget Johnson and Michael Norris and Ajay Kapur},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.1176046},
 isbn = {978-1-925455-13-7},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 pages = {41--45},
 publisher = {Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University},
 title = {speaker.motion: A Mechatronic Loudspeaker System for Live Spatialisation},
 track = {Papers},
 url = {http://www.nime.org/proceedings/2016/nime2016_paper0009.pdf},
 year = {2016}
}