To take the project into a more manageable technology, the idea of the laser drum was re-taken. Iteration was made to produce an amplified version of it and the analog characteristic was embraced. Its components were a speaker, amplifier, a mirror attached to the speaker and a laser light that points to the mirror and reflects on a surface the movement of the speaker when a microphone is used to speak. . The visual production system (based on the principals of visualizing sound waves) made analogy to concepts of clarity and light (laser pointer), self-reflection (mirror) and extension of self (amplifier and speaker). A digital camera captured an image of 3.2 seconds of speech, associating ideas of framing time, abstraction, meaning, detachment and body.

 

 

                                                                                                                         analog system built and used

 

 

The first experiment produced a set of visuals by different individuals that said the same phrase. It was inspired by Barry Traux’s (2001) quote “Nothing is more revealing of a person than a voice. Its production is the reflection of the whole individual”. These visuals were compared and contrasted.

 

                                                                                                                  sample of voices with same settings

Outcome:

The images had to be tested with users/viewers to confirm their level of effective communication and association to the individual that produced them. A card game was produced where each speaker presented themselves in 3 words that described personal characteristics. The, players had to match the voice visual with the description.

The result was an association of 30%, which was taken as a positive match when dealing with abstract images. However, the idea of voice being the warmest, most personal and unique of our senses was neglected when the visuals produced had clinical associations with the viewers. This demanded the exploration of dimension and context taking the concept into other territories.

 

Set of cards used to test association of visual with individual characteristics