Laser Harp // Stimulierte Emissionen klingen

sound/light/movement immersive installation


‘Stimulierte Emissionen klingen’ is a musical instrument based on a 2mts * 2mts frame that holds 16 lasers targeted to 16 photoresistors, creating a two dimensional grid of laser beams. Both lasers and photoresistors are connected to an Arduino board, and a specially made Arduino shield, that provide current to the lasers, and detect tiny voltage variations in the photoresistors. These voltage variations are received with a computer and used to trigger sounds.

The frame holds 8 lasers in the horizontal axis + 8 lasers in the vertical axis, with their respective photoresistor on the other side of the frame. With this configuration I receive information from 16 laser beams, plus 64 nodes that come from the encounter point between two lasers, having the possibility of triggering 80 different sounds; Most frequently, 16 long evolving sounds for single beams plus 64 punctual sounds for the nodes between two lasers.

In a slightly more complex configuration, we created as well a visual representation of the instrument using the same mechanism; through the midi signals, different animations are responding to the interaction of the executer with the instrument.

This instrument can be used for a live performance, or as a sound installation, where the audience is invited to discover how the instrument works and actively experience it for themselves.


‘Stimulierte Emissionen klingen’ was awarded with the third price in the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition 2016, celebrated in Georgia Tech Institute.

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