The Cost of Entry is a Heartbeat

Category: hardware equipment design, spatial sound engineering
Date: March 2021
Realisation: Spatial Sound Institute
Link: https://spatialsoundinstitute.com/The-Cost-of-Entry-is-a-Heartbeat-Salima-Punjani-2021

“The Cost of Entry is a Heartbeat” by Salima Punjani is inspired by the current global pandemic and curiosity about the process of resocialization that will follow it. Heartbeat data was collected using a pulse sensor which measures the light differentiation as blood flow changes due to a participant’s heart beat. As participants entered the room, they were invited to place their finger on the sensor and their heart beat per minute (BPM) was measured. Each performance invited up to 4 people to take part and each person was given a POSYX motion tracker that followed them with the collective BPM of the combination of participants. A custom spatial sound shape was developed that would expand and amplify the sound and intensify the vibration of the collective heartbeat as people became closer to each other, and would contract as they moved apart.”

During my time as Technical Director at the Spatial Sound Institute, I developed a heartbeat monitoring system and integrated it into the 4DSOUND environment along with a position tracking system. I also designed an interactive touchpad controller and programmed dynamic DMX-controlled LED lights and a smoke machine. Additionally, I provided full support as a live spatial sound engineer throughout a series of performances.