Nervous Field makes use of electric field sensing. This refers to a family of noncontact methods for measuring the position and orientation of the human body, or parts of the human body such as a hand. Electric field sensing has been used for human-computer interface, for creating new musical instruments and in the automotive industry as a solution to the rear facing infant seat problem. Electric field sensing is also an important sensory modality for several species of fish, dolphins and bees. Technological applications of field sensing, from the Theremin to the capacitive elevator button, have not been limited to simple proximity detection tasks. The physical user interface is an increasingly signifcant factor limiting the effectiveness of our interactions with and through technology.
As a mean of measure, electric field sensing tells us about a strange and invisible physical world. Nervous Field introduces electric field sonification, as a physical channel and inference framework for human action. According to the measured field strength, the sound, the colour of the sound, and the volume of the sound are varied. Thus, an improvised piece of music is created from the most simple parts. The sound installation refers to the concept of aleatory music, based on aspects of chance and improvisation, as used by John Cage, Pierre Boulez, and Iannis Xenakis.
Biogrpahy
Karl Heinz Jeron was born in 1962 in Memmingen Germany. He lives and works in Berlin. From 2000 to 2006 he has been lecturer for Multimedia Art at the University of Arts Berlin. His works have been exhibited at ZKM Karlsruhe, Ars Electronica Linz, Documenta X, ICA London, Walker Art Museum Minneapolis, Berlinischen Galerie Berlin and the Museum of Modern Art San Francisco.