DJ Lux (DJ Light) is an immersive public sound and light installation that gives visitors the power to orchestrate a performance of light and sound across a large public space.
The installation consists of 85 giant globes of light, each capable of displaying millions of colours. As the “guest DJ” assumes their position on the podium, they can use their arms to point and gesture. These movements are translated in real-time into beautiful movements of light and generative sound across the space.
Each of the inflatable globes contain custom LED lighting. Each globe has a unique identity that allows the colour to be controlled from the main DJ podium. Suspended above the podium is a thermal tracking camera that allows for live tracking of the “guest DJ”. By tracking the movement of the person below, the camera communicates control signals to the software programm that is responsible for the live sound and light generation.
According to the creators at Cinimod Studio, “DJ Light is about the exhilaration of one person taking control over a massive space and manipulating the incredible array of light and sound within it using nothing more than their own body. It is an empowering experience where the public is invited to be the artist.”
Technical Details:
The core interactive system is programmed with MAX/MSP running on a Windows 7 computer. The software was created as a series of inter-connected modules, each with a different purpose:
- Thermal Camera feed interpreter: establishing hot and cold zones of movement, and vectors of movement
- Interaction Module: taking live feed of body movement interpreter and processing into a series of behaviours, moods and scene settings
- Generative Sound Module: a highly complex series of audio systems that generate a real-time 8 channel sound track to the installation. User interaction controls not only the type of sounds heard but also their positions within the space.
- Globe Lighting Mapper: generations of the colour behaviours for each globe, sent by standard DMX (via multiple splitters) to the large array of globes. The lighting control is itself generative, taking not only the direct movement of the ‘dj’ but also accepting recursive feeds from the audio and animation subsystems.
