Kazuhiro Jo

DrawSound: a drawing instrument for sound performance

DrawSound is a drawing instrument for sound performances that combines multi-touch input technology with the expressive character of drawing. The instrument is intended to be used in two different art projects, The SINE WAVE QUARTET, and aeo. In this paper, we describe the implementation of DrawSound with three different pens and show how we design the two different sound performances. We also explain our preliminarily observations about the unique characters of DrawSound.

Design of installation with interactive UAVs

In this paper, we propose an installation where people interact with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In this installation, people could illuminate a dark room with LED attached blimps (i.e. small airships). People control the movement and the light of the indoor blimps with voice via mobile phones. People who are not in the room also could control the light of blimps via internet. We design a framework to control UAVs via mobile phones and internet as a base of this installation. We aim to share our vision with people who are enthusiastic for media expression with UAVs by publishing our technical resources in open architectural approach.

Laser cooking: a novel culinary technique for dry heating using a laser cutter and vision technology

We propose a novel cooking technology that uses a laser cutter as a dry-heating device. In general, dry-heat cooking heats the whole surface of an ingredient, while a laser cutter heats a small spot of the surface in a very short time. Our approach employs a computer-controlled laser cutter and a video image-processing technique to cook ingredients according to their shape and composition, allowing for new tastes, textures, decorations, and engraving unique identifiers to the ingredients. We introduce some examples of laser cooking. In addition, we propose a multi-layered 3D printing technique using powdered sugar to create edible sculpture.

Reproducing and Re-experiencing the Writing Process in Japanese Calligraphy

Japanese calligraphy is the art of brush writing where a person writes Japanese characters with a Chinese brush against a sheet of paper. We have implemented a mechanism to capture the process of producing Japanese calligraphy using MERLs DiamondTouch (DT) table. We add a very thin metal wire along the length of the brush to carry an electric signal from the writers body through the brush tuft and ink to the table. As the brush tuft is touches a sheet of paper placed on the surface of the DT table, the ink in the tuft carries the signal from the users to DT. We capture the movement of the brush tuft to produce the visual and auditory representations of the writing process and for later replay.

The SINE WAVE ORCHESTRA stay

This is a report of creative and technical considerations in building a participatory sound performance The SINE WAVE ORCHESTRA stay. In this performance, the participants one by one leave their own sine wave in the performance space. These sine waves form a mutually interfering sound space while the sound field of a room changes during the performance.

The Role of Mechanical Reproduction in (What Was Formerly Known as) the Record in the Age of Personal Fabrication

ABSTRACT The author examines the role of mechanical reproduction in (what was formerly known as) analog records in the age of personal fabrication with an example from his recent project cutting record. He investigates the creation of records without inputting sound sources by utilizing a production technique and a variety of materials, in conjunction with a discussion of a performance and workshop extracted from the project.