Unlogical instrument: Material-driven gesture-controlled sound installation
Zhen Wu, Ze Gao, Tristan Braud · Designing Interactive Systems Conference · 2023
This proposal describes the design and demonstration of the Unlogical Instrument. This textile-based gesture-controlled sound interface invites the audience to generate sound by interacting with the textile using different gestures, such as poking, flicking, and patting. Unlogical is a statement about breaking the dogmatic approach of commonly used musical instruments. It brings resilience to the form of musical expression and interaction for the audience. It introduces an interactive mechanism mediated by intuitive human gestures and the curiosity to explore tangible material. Unlogical Instrument locates the focus on the textile. This artwork investigates the relationship between the gestures and the sound perception that originates from the textile through a material-driven approach. Inkjet printing is applied to transfer the original textile into a sensorial interface. The audience will listen to the sound while interacting with the textile surface, exploring and understanding this instrument through free-form playing.