"Vibra v. 3" - a geodesic dome-shaped interactive object which uses bone conduction to sonify real-time data flow transmissions and brings an unusual experience of sound.

A geodesic dome stands also for the form that can be read in the context of other ideas by Buckminster Fuller (who – by referring to Plato’s theory of forms – has worked out a mathematical formula to describes conversion of the sphere into the characteristic solid shape made of adjacent triangles); he viewed the Earth as a homeostatic entity traversing the space, and believed in the humanity’s survival and further existence on the inner equilibrium and capacity of its constitutive elements for mutual support.

The geodesic dome is a unique material embodiment of a code-based thinking: it is a sensual (sensorially accessible only) programme for the matter which reminds that digitality – as derived from digitus, Latin for a finger – bespeaks also physicality, touch, scanning of the body parameters and self-knowledge.

Vibra as an interactive installation went through several versions, from which two emerge as independent development paths: “Vibra v. 2” and “Vibra v. 3”, i.e. systems which use real-time Internet and satellite data as a building material for the creation of the generative sound structure. In addition, the installation titled simply "Vibra” – which uses bone conduction to distribute sound in a generative (but not using external data sources), 6-channel musical composition – was included in the Interactive Playground exhibition, and is both directed at the youngest audience and a well cognitive experiment: an attempt to reach to people who can not receive audio works for various reasons in the traditional way.

Besides the physical – most obvious – contact with the installation, the viewers can also use their smartphones or tablets to control it, e.g. change the way the data is being visualized on the two graphs on the basis of the physical location of the network elements and transmission parameters without resorting to geolocation.

“Vibra v. 3” is also a result of past experiences and research of the author, i.e. projects: “Ping Melody” (an improvised software-acoustic performance in which the topology of the communication network and the structure of the data exchange stands for the sound and other real-time musical forms); “Silver Moon, Blue Planet, Blue Note” (a performance in which the real-time data from the International Space Station and other satellite sources stand for the generative, interactive audiovisual composition); and “Post-Apocalypsis” by the dæd bɑɪtz group which was awarded the Gold Medal in the Polish Pavilion at the Prague Quadrinnale 2015. Paweł Janicki as a member of the team has used in the “Post-Apocalypsis” a custom technology to interact with the dataspace.

dome design: Michał Cichy (MOM Architects)