Little Helpers

Posted by admin on August 21st, 2007 filed in I and I, art

This is one of the main projects I’m currently working on.

Little Helpers is my first attempt at realizing an idea in an electronic device. These devices, the Little Helpers, are to act as vibrational prostheses, extending and enhancing the material force in sound. They are designed to listen within an environment and upon hearing a sound activate their motors giving off further vibrations. They can be attached to any surface, the more resonant the better. A number of Little Helpers are to be placed in a single location and left for the enjoyment of anyone listening. For example, upon entering a room or corridor the sound of the door closing behind you would result in an enhanced resonance, shouting in the same space would have a similar effect. To tease out such micro-performances or performative voicings is probably one of the main goals of this project. The Little Helpers are designed to help any sound attain greater material force.

They are an ear (A), motor and circuity housed in the belly(B) and a wiggler (C). The green arrows indicate vibrations entering and leaving the Little Helper, the pink arrows indicate the motion of the motor upon activation. The wiggler (C) is made up of a spring and a suction cup allowing it to be fixed to smooth surfaces. The vibrations caused by the motor are amplified and continued by the spring once the motor has deactivated. Hooks and other fasteners will enable them to be attached to other surfaces and objects. I will initially build five, although I’ll need about fifty if they’re to do their job properly.

Little Helpers are offer a contribution to the ongoing expansion of the universe. Each tiny motion contributing to a greater gravitational wave-force, aiding the exchange and expression of energy throughout the universe. They are to be among the ‘thousands of little witnesses’* which contemplate the vibrations around us, their resulting actions offering one hundred times the force of that which they perceive.

This is probably the circuit that I’ll use for the Little Helpers. I initially built a prototype circuit around an Atmega8 AVR and a L293 motor driver before realizing this was a little overkill. Stripping it down to something more basic, smaller and cheaper has taken a while. Jeff Mann has been particularly helpful in pointing out the klangers in my wiring. The electronics will make up a large part of the project but the housing for the devices is probably going to be harder to design than the circuit.

More will follow as the project develops.
*see Gilles Deleuze, Difference and Repetition 96-7