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Echo State Networks

the sonification of an analog neural network

Can one hear the firing of neurons? Does their action potential have pitch and timbre? How do patterns and structures of a neural network look and sound? And what will happen if the network listen and sees these sound and pattern – and all that in a feedback loop?

At the core of the light and sound installation “Echo State Network” by Wolfgang Spahn there will be an artificial analog neural network that will generate sound.

The artist Wolfgang Spahn created an analogue neuron as part of his analogue computer “Confetti”. More than 100 of the Confetti Neurons will build an analog version of a so called “Echo State Network”. That is a particular kind of model of a recurrent neural network. At it‘s core is a complex and back coupling neural network, similar to a Liquid-State Machine.

The input layer of that network will have sound and light sensors that react on brightness and different frequencies. These information will be processed in the Echo State Network and than outputted with a layer of firing neurons. To make this phenomena hear able 8 speaker will amplifier the action in the network on 8 different nodes.



Wolfgang Spahn is a visual & sound artist based in Berlin. His work includes installations, performances of light & sound and miniature-slide-paintings. His art explores the field of analogue and digital media and focuses on both their contradiction and their correlation.
He is faculty member of the Sound Studies and Sonic Arts, Berlin University of the Arts.

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OPEN HARD- & SOFT-WARE

Here is most of the hard- and software the artist developed for his artwork.
DER NULLEFFEKT
PAPER-PCB
- Analog Computer
- Pop Neuron
- Paper-Duino
- Paper Synthesizer
- Paper Bits
- Raspberry Pi Hats
- VGA Synthesizer
- Sound Boards
ART COOPERATION

TEACHING

Miscellaneous

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In Progress


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Except where otherwise noted.
© 2018-22 Wolfgang Spahn. All Rights Reserved.