Professor: Panagiotis Michalatos
Duration: Fall 2016
This 2D mapping tool translates the changing volume of noise in a space into a live drawing. The incoming sound heard by the machine causes a shift in the intended toolpath, resulting in an unpredictable outcome.
In the first step, the machine records and smooths the audio of the space. Next, the machine uses the soundwave to adjust the toolpath perpendicular to the path of travel. In order to maintain the integrity of the overall drawing process, the machine must compromise between its initial drawing path and its in-the-moment changes. These compromises are handled through a careful calculation of the machine’s “drawing momentum.” The machine uses its current point, last point, and next point to determine how far it can stray and still stay on track.
Each act of drawing, even using the same pre-programmed image, becomes inherently unique, incorporating the unavoidable surrounding noise into a semi-improvised act.
1970_1_s_RIV 
Scott Penman 