10Hz

Interactive Installation
Kenny Wong
2011
1.2m X 1.5m X 2.2m

Concept

Traveling past an avenue of trees on a bus ride, you can feel that sunlight is flickering on your face, projecting vivid colors even with your eyes closed.

I extend this daily experience into a deep exploration. In this project, 10Hz, where the device stimulates the viewer’s Alpha Brain Wave by both light and sound through the use of tuning forks. Illusionary vision and sound are unleashed in your brain. It also explores the artistic potentialities and the playfulness of Alpha Brain Wave beyond therapeutic purposes.

當巴士經過一排排的樹，車上的你可以感受陽光在臉上閃動，閉上眼仍看到精彩的色調。《10Hz》借我這個小小的日常經歷發展成一探索，利用音叉以光線與聲音刺激觀眾的Alpha腦電波。視聽的錯覺在腦內開展，同時發掘腦電波在治療以外其他的可能性。

Documentation

Experience

10Hz is immersive machine that would bring you to an altered state, by the use of tuning forks. When the tuning forks surround your head, audience is invited to relax and let go, close his eyes, and let the altered light and combined sound frequencies stimulate your brain. The interactivity is the dialog between tuning forks and the brain.

You are invited to close your eyes. By going up with the lifting chair, your head is being surrounded by a rotating platform with 30 tuning forks. In 10Hz, the flickering rate and binaural beats stimulate your Alpha Brain Wave.

Flickering Stimulated Vision:

Supernatural colors, patterns, moving geometrical shapes, scenes, and hallucinations

Rotating platform with 30 tuning forks, each with 2 prongs alternately blocking the spotlight to create flickering effects, like on a bus ride.

Physical and Illusionary perceived sound:

Oscillating waves (Pulsation)

Tuning forks with 512Hz and 522Hz are hit by 4 hammers inside. Combined oscillating waves are heard instead of pure frequencies. Interference beats and binaural beats of 10Hz will be produced according to the position of the tuning forks.

The combined experience is a illusionary experience by the unique design of the device. The lifting chair, the tuning forks become the unique factors of the stimulation.

Award

Gold Award of Interactive Media Category in the 16th Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards (ifva) Festival.

Exhibition

2011 – Art East Island, Studio 52, Pure Art Foundation, Hong Kong
2011 – the 16^th Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards (ifva) Festival, Hong Kong Arts Center
2011 – XII School of Creative Media Graduates’ Showcase 2011, Room 502, Fotan
2011 – CityU Information Day 2011, Creative Media Centre, CityU