Sound-Based Thinking and Design Practices with Embodied Extensions

The discourse surrounding intangible materials in interaction design is often directed toward computational materials [2, 9], however, this studio focuses on sonic and electromagnetic fields as intangible materials with distinctive qualities and methods of interaction. Participants explore the notion of extended body by augmenting their natural hearing abilities through body-space-object interactions. Using analog and radio-frequency (RF) sonic extenders, participants direct, block, amplify, and filter sounds, and perceive the surrounding electromagnetic landscape, thereby creating a "super sense" of heightened audition. This sonic experience explores the sensorial possibilities of the future body, where aural augmentation could take place. Using soundwalking and soundmapping as methods, participants explore transitive sonic forms that change their qualities and content over time in downtown Sydney. Participants produce a collective soundmap identifying embodied sonic extensions and acousmatic techniques, along with movements, gestures, and choreographies. This data will be used to stimulate a final discussion.