Midterm Project: Sentiment Vermin

For my project I designed a way to create emotional communication between "lesser" creatures and humans. In order to do this, I used sound to connect us with a simple cricket, a creature we sometimes forget is alive and breathing. Using photocells, I created a contained space that senses the presence of the cricket that is translated to the sound of a beating heart. A sound we only hear in very intimate settings. The purpose of this project is to increase our awareness of other living creatures. Despite our differences in size, shape, and complexity, we are living. The sound of a heart brings us together as living creatures and helps us feel empathy for "lesser" creatures.

The design is simple. The photocells, which are wired in series act as voltage dividers for a blinking LED. I programed an arduino to blink the LED in a similar fashion as a heart beat. The delay of each beat is determined by the sensor value. The sensor value is in turn, determined by the position of the cricket. An additional white LED is at the top of the glass container to function as a lamp. The shadow of the cricket is read by the sensors and therefore determines the speed of LED flashing.

The sound of the heartbeat is controlled optically by the flashing LED. In between the input and outputs is another photocell. The circuit is opened and closed by the flashing LED. The sound of the heartbeat is simply made by a low frequency tone (20hz) going through the audio input. Connected to the out jack are two speakers. The result is a low frequency tone that is turned on off by the LED inside. Thus creating the illusion of a heartbeat controlled by the position of a cricket.

low frequency tone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMfbNvxc4Tw

There were a few problems with this circuit. The main problem is that the lamp causes the cricket to freeze. This is of course because crickets are nocturnal. Because the cricket does not move, the heartbeat remains static. It appears that the sensors really aren't doing anything because the heartbeat doesn't change unless the cricket moves. Though if the cricket is not moving, it would make sense that the heartbeat remains static. The only issue is that the art object becomes less interesting and less interactive. Overall, I am proud of the concept and aesthetic of my project. Perhaps a different bug such as a fly would yield more interesting results.