extended applications of the wireless sensor array (wisear)
WISEAR (Wireless Sensor Array) 8 , provides a robust and scalable platform for virtually limitless types of data input to software synthesis engines. It is essentially a Linux based SBC (Single Board Computer) with 802.11a/b/g wireless capability. The device, with batteries, only weighs a few pounds and can be worn by a dancer or other live performer. Past work has focused on connecting "conventional" sensors (eg., bend sensors, accelerometers, FSRs, etc...) to the board and using it as a data relay, sending the data as real time control messages to synthesis engines like Max/MSP and RTcmix 1 . Current research has extended the abilities of the device to take real-time audio and video data from USB cameras and audio devices, as well as running synthesis engines on board the device itself. Given its generic network ability (eg., being an 802.11a/b/g device) there is theoretically no limit to the number of WISEAR boxes that can be used simultaneously in a performance, facilitating multiperformer compositions. This paper will present the basic design philosophy behind WISEAR, explain some of the basic concepts and methods, as well as provide a live demonstration of the running device, worn by the author.
wireless sensors linux real-time audio embedded devices realtime video