Interactive sculpture
Experiments in reinterpreting biometric data into sound
Concept
An attempt to subvert teh reduction of human identity to biometric data points, by creating unique pieces of music from them. Research for this project traces the history of facial classification across societies, and questions the nature and purpose of such classifications.
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![A face divided into sections which are labeled in Chinese with different attributes]()
Chinese face reading
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![Two images of facial profiles. The head in each is divided into different areas that are labeled with attributes or numbers and letters.]()
Attributes mapped on to the face and head thoughtout history
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![Different screen captures of biometric scans from the internet, showing points on the face and heatmaps]()
Biometric scans reduce the face to data points
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![Mug shots of George W Bush and Henry Louis Gates Jr., showing each with frontal and side poses.]()
Mug shots
Prototype
To experiment with the possibility of creating sonic portraits, my collaborators and I designed and built a module that could capture a person’s profile and convert these data points to sound. (Module design by Adam Brillhart; software by Matthew Richard and Matt Ganucheau.)