Laser Harp // Stimulierte Emissionen klingen

sound/light/movement immersive installation

A musical instrument based on a 2x2 meter frame housing 16 lasers targeted at 16 photoresistors, creating a two-dimensional grid of light beams. Both components connect to an Arduino board and a custom shield that supply current to the lasers and detect minute voltage variations in the sensors. These variations are transmitted to a computer, where they trigger corresponding sounds.

The frame holds 8 lasers in the horizontal axis + 8 lasers in the vertical axis, with their respective photoresistor on the other side of the frame. With this configuration I receive information from 16 laser beams, plus 64 nodes that come from the encounter point between two lasers, having the possibility of triggering 80 different sounds; Most frequently, 16 long evolving sounds for single beams plus 64 punctual sounds for the nodes between two lasers.

In a slightly more complex configuration, we created as well a visual representation of the instrument using the same mechanism; through the midi signals, different animations are responding to the interaction of the executer with the instrument.

This instrument can be used for a live performance, or as a sound installation, where the audience is invited to discover how the instrument works and actively experience it for themselves.


`Stimulierte Emissionen klingen` was awarded with the third price in the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition 2016, celebrated in Georgia Tech Institute.