<x-rich>Dear all, Last April I was commissioned to create a new full-length work by Utah Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT). The work was technologically mediated and included in addition to three interactive systems and animated CyberPerformers eight PhysicalDancers (humans). We had performed the work over a period of two weeks (twelve performances in total) and the results were quite wonderful. I may add that for myself, it was great luxury to be able to have some decent funding to explore the technology that successfully supported the work. (I have eliminated all the technology that did not work and or enhanced the work in one way ore the other prior to the first performance.) I am writing to you all however because I wanted to introduce you all to a new remote "Bio-Radio" interactive system that I have used in performance, and that have allowed me to move about the performance space totally free from being connected to a restricting device of any kind. My primary collaborators are Architect, Professor Julio Bermudez and Jim Agutter Research Assistant Professor both from the University of Utah. We met in Connecticut College five years ago where we have started to talk about such a system that will allow that kind of freedom during performance and conceived this collaborative work. To those of you that may find it interesting, I am forwarding the soft version of the tech info and make-up of this system. If any one is interested in a more detailed version of the event/performance, please let me know. I hope you find this interesting. Best regards, YacovŠ <bold><smaller>Technology </smaller></bold><smaller><italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param>cyber</fontfamily></italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param><bold>PRINT</bold></fontfamily> obtains its raw material from non-invasive and integrated medical sensors registering vital signs in real time in numerical data format. We utilize the BioRadio 110 made by Cleveland Medical Devices Inc. to accomplish this task. The BioRadio 110 is a lightweight programmable wireless physiological monitor for measuring and recording EEG, ECG, EMG, EOG, and PSG signals. By eliminating the restrictions encountered with traditional tethered equipment, the BioRadio allows the individual being monitored the freedom to move about naturally, something essential for the type of performance required by the our project. The BioRadio 110 sends the measured data via radio signals directly to a PC where is then processed by a especially written software to generate a virtual architecture according to design prescriptions. The necessary technology (that made this work) was developed by a team of collaborators from Architecture, Dance,Medicine, Bio-Engineering and Computer Science. The BioRadio 110 is used to collect data input registers the activity of three physiological functions historically associated with human life (1) Respiratory and muscle activity; (2) Cardiac activity; the heart and its functions; and (3) Nervous activity; the brain and its workings. Since physiological data can be represented in any way within digital space, the focus of our work was in the design of the visual-temporal prescriptions guiding the transformation of the incoming data into visualizable 3D representations of the three functions described. This meant to develop: 1. new aesthetic conventions, rules, and techniques for visualizing the body and the self in digital space (i.e., syntax and vocabulary); 2. the relationship between design intentions, and the expectations of the (self) performer and audience (i.e., the world of content, meaning: semantics); 3. how to employ and develop a design to elicit aesthetic responses (i.e., pragmatics). The project heavily draws from an area of architectural knowledge called "Basic Design". This specialty area consist of basic principles (e.g., scale, shape, rhythm, balance, color, tectonics, structure, etc.), elements (e.g., line, figures, objects, space, etc.) and organizational rules (e.g., hierarchy, layering, typology, symmetry, etc.) of 2D and 3D design and their relationship to human psychology and behavior. During performance/event, I was connected via a sensory jacket of sorts to the <italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param>cyber</fontfamily></italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param><bold>PRINT </bold></fontfamily>generator and thus created a self-sustaining feedback mechanism: My performing environment was the architecturization of my own body physiology. . . The body inhabits and interacts with the <italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param>cyber</fontfamily></italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param><bold>PRINT</bold></fontfamily> by moving, constantly changing my vital signs and thus keeping alive the 3D shapes and continuously transforming my own "architecture of self". Movement, sound composition, and architecture become an altogether a <italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param>cyber</fontfamily></italic><fontfamily><param>Courier</param><bold>PRINT </bold></fontfamily>of visual manifestation conducted by the behavioral paterns of the inter body projected in real time through large screen projection. Yacov Sharir</smaller> </x-rich>
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