David R. Glowacki, PhD, MA

1. Danceroom SpectroscopyCollectively generating music from movement David R. Glowacki, PhD, MA

2. This stuff is topical • Recent Cover of Physics World • The Physics of Crowds

3. This talk • A little bit about me and my background • A brief introduction to the science • The physics that generated the ideas for the project… • What’s a Fourier Transform (FT)? • The danceroom Spectroscopy idea • The wider cultural context • Horizons, Applications, and Experiments • Where we’re at right now

4. So what do I do? • I’m a research scientist at Bristol University • Presently working on the frontier where chemistry meets theoretical physics • I use the mathematical tools of quantum & classical mechanics to understand what molecules do • We know how to exactly solve the QM equations of motion, but it’s impossible to do • Most of my research involves massively parallel computers • A lot of what I do concerns how to make more accurate approximations to solving the full QM equations

5. My background • During my PhD, I did experiments: • Get computers to talk to instruments • Laser spectroscopy • Optics • Instrument Design http://www.chem.leeds.ac.uk/HIRAC/

6. Before my PhD… • Before my PhD, I did my MA in religion and Cultural Theory at the University of Manchester: • Koine Greek • Democracy and Power • Transparency • Surveillance and the Panopticon • Things I still think about: • Different epistemology between the social sciences and the natural sciences • Is it possible to unify the vocabulary in each field? D. R. Glowacki, “All things to all people: unraveling the structure of the apostolic Panopticon,” Journal of Cultural and Religious Theory, accepted D. R. Glowacki, “To the Reader: the structure of power in biblical translation, from Tyndale to the NRSV,” Journal of Literature and Theology, 2008, 22(2), p 210

7. Quantum Mechanics is about waves • QM is the study of wave mechanics • In classical physics, we can think of things as point particles; in QM, things behave as waves • These effects become important as one approaches the nano-scale • very very tiny… e-

8. Zero Point Energy keeps things vibrating • Classically, motion can stop at absolute zero • Quantum mechanically, zero point energy keeps everything vibrating all the time with a characteristic frequency • ZPE is intimately tied to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle • You cant get cooler than Quantum Mechanics The classical vs. The quantum

9. Non-locality: everything is coupled • Classical paths can be isolated • Quantum non-locality means that each path is coupled to every other path State A State B

10. The Fourier Transform & wave analysis • The FT has revolutionized science in the last 50 years • Allows determination of individual waves that make up a chaotic signal • Used extensively for wave analysis • Laser Physics • Electronic engineering • Quantum mechanics • Musical technology • Digital Signal Processing

11. The Danceroom Spectroscopy Idea • Arose from: • Conversations with electronica artist Lee J Malcom • Thinking about what happens in a typical laser excitation experiment • FT Wave analysis in QM • Would it be possible to do the same with movement?

12. Danceroom Spectroscopy Idea FT FT

13. How might we accomplish it? • 3d time-of-flight imaging • http://canesta.com/products-and-technology Feedback to Crowd FFT Music Software

14. Imagining applications and experiments • Effectively, we would be crowd sourcing a “vibe” for the artist • The crowd would be another input channel • Do pump-probe experiments • Watch excitation in one area feed through into other areas • Feed the “vibe” from last night to the group from tonight • Couple it to visuals for an even more immersive feedback experience • All sorts of interesting development opportunities • Machine Learning • Artificial Intelligence • Introduce randomness • Combine with directional speakers

15. Cultural Context I believe we need, if anything, more CCTV cameras and more people on the DNA database, rather than fewer Phillip Davies, Tory MP, 6 July 2010 Westminster Hall Debates • Danceroom Spectroscopy is a celebration and recognition of surveillance • Music is increasingly atomized, but this project relies on the coupled, collective motion of an ensemble of individuals, reversing the Panoptic principle • Coherence, order, (synchronization?) arise from apparent collective chaos • Allows us to quantitatively ‘map’ interpersonal coupling

16. Where the project stands now • Proposal has been submitted to the EPSRC • A number of interested collaborators • Pervasive Media Studio • QuJunktions • Arnolfini • UoB Centre for Public Engagement • Lee J Malcom • We should know something in September • Ideas, Feedback, Collaboration, help with generating frequencies? • www.davidglowacki.wordpress.com

17. Acknowledgements • PhilippaBayley (UoB Centre for Public Engagement) • Tijl de Bie (UoB, Engineering Mathematics) • Dave Cliff (UoB, Computer Science) • Mike Ashfold (UoB, Laser Group) • Laser Group Members • Inition Ltd. (London, 3d imaging specialists) • Clare Reddington (PVM) • Y’all