Prix
The Prix Ars Electronica Archive is a collection enabling search and viewing of all the submissions since 1987. The award-winning projects are documented with catalogue texts and audio-visual media. All other submissions can be searched by title/artist and displayed with year, category in list form. Please cite the credits (artwork name, artist and photographer) and only use the materials if your article is related to Ars Electronica.
Laser Microphone
Kai Lab
Laser Microphone is a sonic installation that acts as a microscope for sound, amplifying the physical vibrations of tiny objects that are otherwise too quiet to hear. Externally, the device has two components: a laser light and a receiver. A small object is placed at the centre of the installation in the beam of the laser. The frequency with which the object blocks the laser light from reaching the sensor is translated into an audible frequency by an internal custom circuit. For objects with stable frequencies, musical notes are perceived. For example, a tuning fork vibrating at 440Hz will generate the note A. Objects exhibiting random motion, such as a glass of bubbles, produce more irregular soundscapes. The audio and visuals from the laser microphone can be either amplified across the space to be shared with a larger audience or interacted with individually through headphones. In both cases, the experience is as though access has been granted to a tiny universe of motion and music contained within the beam of the laser. The installation gives the audience the opportunity to explore the hidden sounds of their surroundings, amplifying the natural frequencies of small objects that otherwise have no voice.