Haruki Nishijima
Remain in Light is visual representation of ambient analog sound waves, which have been captured using an "electronic insect-collecting kit." The process of collecting these waves begins with a person carrying an insect net, which is attached to a device designed to capture the waves. The net functions as an antenna, for catching and accumulating radio-wave data.
Today, it is possible to get a lot of information instantly from great distances without physically moving around. Tune and place move, but have no relationship to the body. Invisible data which we can't see revolves in space and does not appear to be special because we can't see it.
This work converts bits of analog communication data, and allows the viewer to participate in the work by controlling the amount of "time," "air space" and "place" in his/her viewing space. The viewer can see the results of the three processes which were used to capture these "electronic insects." The first is discovering the "electronic insect," the second is capturing the "insect," and the third is converting the analog data and presenting it visually in an interactive environment.
In the past, our world was filled with natural insects. However, in our modem society, there are fewer natural insects, and they have been replaced by "electronic insects," or bits of sound data. In the city, there are numerous opportunities to collect these "electronic insects," but in the countryside there are fewer opportunities to collect them because there are fewer man-made sounds.
In order to discover and capture these "electronic insects," first we have to look for them in their natural habitat. Clues are necessary in order to find and "capture" them. For example, I select the habitat of a residential area on the basis of places where cars are parked, where there are fragrances coming from dining tables in a home, and the day and time when I'm in the area. These situations lead to and produce certain sounds. However, when I am in a city, I find situations and places which produce very different sounds. I have tried to capture these sounds on the basis of this information.
The viewer will understand that this interactive space is his/her visible environment - a replication of the world outside. This is a modern version of insect collecting. The "electronic insects" are collected with a net which has been built beforehand, and is similar to those used to capture fireflies. The net is made from a cotton cloth which is often used to cover windows to prevent insects from entering homes. However, my net was designed to bring "insects" inside.
In my interactive presentation, each "electronic insect" is represented by a different color. Each color represents one frequency. Some sounds, such as radio data, are easy to capture, and therefore the visual representation of that data's color will appear more often. I hope that the viewer will notice mat there are a greater amount of data of a certain color, and much less of others - a reflection of the sounds heard in the city. A color chart will be available for viewers to observe.
Will analog data become a thing of the past? Now, most communication data are digitized, and the demand for analog data continues to decrease. Actually, data from analog cellular phones became an extinct species of electronic insect in Japan last year. The quality of analog sound data seems to be inferior to that of digital data, but in fact, our real world is filled with analog sounds. I feel it is important to include both digital and analog data in our lives because it is more representative of the real world. Analog data helps you to remember the past. It is my hope that there will be a continued demand for both analog and digital data and that humans will realize the importance of both technological and non-technological interaction.
As for the true insect collecting I experienced in the past, there was always a worldly feeling which I felt was universal. "Electronic insect collecting" is the tool and the means for connecting the technological world to its prototypical experience.
Technical Description
Electric insect net (signal reception)
The long handle attached to the net acts as an antenna for the device. A BNC cable is connected to a commercially available receiver. This net can catch analog electric waves. The net can capture electric (radio) waves within the frequency range of 50Hz -2GHz. It is possible to capture a wide range of electric waves with the electric insect net including the various electric waves emitted around us. For example, the user can capture electric waves from AM radio, analog wireless radio communication, cordless, and cellular phones. Analog wireless radio communication devices include those used by taxis, the fire brigade and the police. Cellular phone signals are coded therefore are unintelligible when captured. It is possible to change the receiver frequency by pushing a "Search" button installed in the handle attached to the net. The user can hear the frequency contents (noise or conversation) through headphones. The user can record the electric wave contents (sound) currently being received in one-second intervals by pressing a "Record" button installed in the handle. The frequency, sound and time stamp data are packaged together and stored in the notebook PC contained in the insect cage.
Insect cage (data storage) (receiver, a notebook PC and peripherals)
The insect cage contains a notebook PC and receiver. The receiver is used to collect the electric waves. The notebook PC (Microsoft Windows installed) is used to manage and control the receiver. The receiver is a high performance DJ-X2000 model made by ALINCO.
The receiver and notebook PC are connected serially and continuously in use. The software ((C) SuzcomWare2000) is used to manage the receiver, sound capture and data storage, and also sends commands to the receiver to change frequency. The sound signals that the receiver collects enter the PC through the microphone terminal. Every time the user presses the "Record" button, a one second interval of sound is captured, frequency information and a time stamp added, and stored as a single package of digital data in the PC. Data is stored as a file. The data remains on the hard disc of the PC even when there is no power supply. The notebook PC in the insect cage is connected to the image display server by LAN connection. The user can forward stored data to the image display server by pushing the "data transmission button" contained in the cage.
The user can forward this system anywhere through Internet. This is possible because the system is connected to a network based on TCP/IP.
Image display server, infrared sensor and AD converter
The image display server visualizes the data forwarded from the insect cage. Using frequency information data that has been forwarded from the notebook PC, the image display server transforms this data into light sources similar to fireflies, which simultaneously emit sound in accordance with predetermined rules. Data converted into light sources have a random life cycle, and are continuously forwarded onto the next image display server with the passage of time.
All servers are of peer-to-peer design that do not have central league host. Using this system it is possible to connect an unlimited number of image display servers that have different IP addresses. When the light sources reach the final image display server, their life finishes and they cease to exist.
An AD converter is connected serially with the server. The AD converter constantly analyses the output of the infrared sensor connected to the converter. The infrared sensor bounces infrared rays off a hemispheric object and measures the variation in the degree of reflection. The AD converter digitizes the analog output from the infrared sensor. The serially connected image display continuously reads the output from the converter. When a person or an object enters the zone covered by infrared rays, the infrared sensor reacts accordingly.(The voltage of the analogue signals is between 0-5 V). The infrared sensor reacts to the entrance and movement of people in the zone. These variations become a trigger for the light sources contained in the server, causing them to try to escape in the direction of the outer bounds of the display screens.
This is dramatic representation of electric insects all simultaneously trying to escape as they feel the presence of people in the infrared zone.
Sound effects
The sounds of the electric waves captured using the net are not only expressed as a light source. Light sources move slowly and emit a sound when they bounce off the outer bounds of the display screen.
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