Holodeck for House Crickets
"Holodeck for House Crickets" (2005) by Amy Youngs is a virtual environment for crickets.
Holodeck for House Crickets
If
they could choose, where would domesticated crickets choose
to be? Living outdoors in the midwest winters is not a a
survivable option for Acheta domesticus (house crickets),
but perhaps they still yearn for the pastoral grasslands
and woodlands experienced by their wild relatives. Actual
nature would be a bit harsh for these crickets, who are raised
in climate-controlled tanks as food for reptiles, so I have
constructed a safe bubble for them. This enclosure provides
an artificial landscape and provides a simulation of motion
through it. Through the use of a computer interface, the
crickets are able to "interact" with their projected
environment by chirping. Each chirp advances the panoramic,
cricket-eye-view video footage of outdoor scenery.
Live crickets, glass, sand, microphone, video projection and computer running a custom MaxMSP/Jitter patch.
