The Wonder Suit

(OVERVIEW) WEARABLE WIRELESS SENSORS

The Wonder Suit is a wearable set of wireless sensors that trigger discreet processes through movement on electronic soundscapes as well as a live feed from the acoustic piano. Eleonor conceived The Suit in 2007, and the first prototype was premiered in 2009 as a part of a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council grant. It is currently in its second prototype.

IN THE INVENTOR’S WORDS…

Prototyping

“The Wonder Suit is not a suit of clothes, but an invention of mine, engineered by Michael Clemow, made up of a set of wireless sensors that are strapped onto the body and piano bench and used to trigger various processes on a live mic feed from an acoustic resonating body, usually a piano, into a computer.

“The live feed is routed via proprietary software through Osculator to Kyma. But really any sound software capable of receiving the message would work. The beauty of the sensors is that anyone can strap them on and have the sensation of altering a live acoustic sound. That visceral, direct connection to how motion translates into emotion through sound is experiential proof that is at once fun and thrilling.

“The work I make with The Suit incorporates choreographed movement that initiates the electronic processes. I was inspired to create The Suit because I was already making work that incorporated choreographed movement into my solo piano pieces — see A Sleeper’s Notebook. While practicing for an upcoming performance, I thought it would be interesting if the movements actually had some perceivable impact on the acoustic sound of the piano, my instrument of choice. Since that time, I have worked through two prototypes and am currently working toward the finished product.”

–Eleonor Sandresky

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