Network spaces as collaborative instruments: WLAN trilateration for musical echolocation in sound art

Stelios Manousakis

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

  • Year: 2012
  • Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Keywords: Network music, mobile music, distributed music, interactivity, sound art installation, collaborative instrument, site-specific, electromagnetic signals, WiFi, trilateration, traceroute, echolocation, SuperCollider, Pure Data, RjDj, mapping
  • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1178341 (Link to paper)
  • PDF link

Abstract:

This paper presents the system and technology developed for the distributed, micro-telematic, interactive sound art installation, The Network Is A Blind Space. The piece uses sound to explore the physical yet invisible electromagnetic spaces created by Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). To this end, the author created a framework for indoor WiFi localization, providing a variety of control data for various types of `musical echolocation'. This data, generated mostly by visitors exploring the installation while holding WiFi-enabled devices, is used to convey the hidden properties of wireless networks as dynamic spaces through an artistic experience.

Citation:

Stelios Manousakis. 2012. Network spaces as collaborative instruments: WLAN trilateration for musical echolocation in sound art. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1178341

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{Manousakis2012,
 abstract = {This paper presents the system and technology developed for the distributed, micro-telematic, interactive sound art installation, The Network Is A Blind Space. The piece uses sound to explore the physical yet invisible electromagnetic spaces created by Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). To this end, the author created a framework for indoor WiFi localization, providing a variety of control data for various types of `musical echolocation'. This data, generated mostly by visitors exploring the installation while holding WiFi-enabled devices, is used to convey the hidden properties of wireless networks as dynamic spaces through an artistic experience.},
 address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan},
 author = {Stelios Manousakis},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.1178341},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 keywords = {Network music, mobile music, distributed music, interactivity, sound art installation, collaborative instrument, site-specific, electromagnetic signals, WiFi, trilateration, traceroute, echolocation, SuperCollider, Pure Data, RjDj, mapping},
 publisher = {University of Michigan},
 title = {Network spaces as collaborative instruments: {WLAN} trilateration for musical echolocation in sound art},
 url = {http://www.nime.org/proceedings/2012/nime2012_142.pdf},
 year = {2012}
}