Robotic Soundscape

Workshop

  • Group of participants gathered around a table with papers during the Robotic Soundscape workshop in a dark studio space © Paul Modler
  • Close-up of metal brackets with bolts and cables in a studio setting © Paul Modler
  • A workbench with an oscilloscope, power supplies, cables, tools, and electronic components during the Robotic Soundscape workshop at HfG Karlsruhe © Yunfei Zhang
  • A person works on assembling metal robotic components on a wooden board surrounded by tools, hardware, and a cymbal on a dark table © Yunfei Zhang
  • Workshop table covered with tools, electronic components, wooden boxes, pliers, wire cutters, power adapters, books, and a metal sculpture frame © Yunfei Zhang
Date(s)
Sun, 21 Jul – Fri, 2 Aug 2024
Time
full-day
Duration
Two weeks
Venue
HfG Atrium, Karlsruhe

Machine-art pioneer and media artist Kal Spelletich led a two-week workshop demonstrating how to build interactive sound robots. Participants constructed electromechanical sound generators, using technology in unconventional and experimental ways. The approach included harvesting environmental data and translating it into sound through kinetic objects. Biosensors paired with microcontrollers actuated motors and movement.

Motors, transducers, found objects, and mechanical linkages were combined with resonating bodies to produce new tone colors and complex polyrhythmic structures. The machines' thumping, jolting, scraping, creaking, and humming sounds were recorded, amplified, and spatialized.

The workshop concluded with a joint concert performance, where all individual sound sculptures were brought to life and combined into a collective composition.

Additional Information

  • Workshop Supervision: Kal Spelletich, Lorenz Schwarz