An upcoming exhibition at the Tate Britain will let visitors experiment with how their senses change the way they interact with art.
Tate Sensorium is the creation of Flying Object, a creative agency based in London, who proposed using technology to create sensory experiences relating to specific works of art. The proposal
was chosen from a shortlist of four entries in the IK Prize -- an annual competition that celebrates digital creativity.
The £10,000 prize comes with a further £60,000 to turn the concept into reality. The team has already recruited a panel of experts to help them, including a binaural sound recordist, a theatre designer, an experimental psychologist, a visual designer, an interaction designer and a "purveyor of olfactory adventures". The team says that it's hunting a taste expert.
For touch, the team will use "<a style="background-color: transparent;" href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2013/9817.html">ultrahaptics</a> " technology, in which hundreds of ultrasound speakers are arrayed into a grid and project soundwaves through the air in distinct shapes. The movement of the sound waves creates sensations on the skin as you move your hand through them.
In sound, binaural recordings will be used to give visitors a sense of place.
These are recordings made using microphones positioned in the ears of a mannequin head -- when replayed through headphones, it creates a three-dimensional acoustic experience.
Flying Object said: "We're thrilled to have been awarded the 2015 IK Prize. We founded Flying Object on the belief that technology can be transformative in the way that people connect to the world and to each other. The IK Prize gives us a tremendous platform to develop those ideas in the world of art. And we're incredibly excited to be collaborating with both Tate and a top team of scientists and creatives to bring the project to life'.
Tate's managing director, Kerstin Mogull, added: "I am delighted that Flying Object is the winner of the IK Prize 2015. This prize was initiated to celebrate digital creativity and their proposal, Tate Sensorium, combines advanced technologies to give visitors a fresh way to experience and engage with great works of art."
Tate Sensorium is expected to open in late Summer 2015. Keep an eye on the Tate Britain website for details.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
