Frequency is a concept that binds natural and artificial worlds. The steady beat of a heart, the measurable wavelengths of light, the recurring call of an insect, and the ubiquitous pulsating Megahertz of our machines.

StutterSpot is a immersive and reactive light and sound installation. The installation responds to an approaching body by pulsating at a rate that fluctuates based on distance to the centre of the light. The frequency of the lamp becomes a physical experience. Stutterspot augments an otherwise regular spotlight with strange, sonic properties, subverting our understanding of the ordinary.

A computer controlled spot-light projects a cone of light when a person enters the space. It pulses and flickers based on a person’s distance to the centre of the light, emitting crackling, watery noises as the light changes. At the edges of the light, the sound is reminiscent of gentle waves lapping a shore or the sound of falling rain. The closer a person moves to the centre of the light, the more the sound pulsates and the more chaotic the audio becomes.

This project originally stemmed from the concept of employing sound as a sculptural element to invoke the presence of an invisible architecture. It then developed into its current form – where a synchronised audio-visual experience works to create an almost palpable sonic phenomenon. It is an experiment in making light tangible, through sound, combining the two in synchronised harmony.

The installation uses custom software running basic computer vision tracking connected to a DMX controller and infrared sensitive camera to control the light.