Overview
This installation transforms imperceptible cosmic vibrations into subsonic tactile sensations that can be directly experienced through touch. When visitors place their hands on a smooth steel surface, they physically feel actual data from massive celestial events that occurred almost 800 million light years away.
Through audio processing techniques, gravitational wave data has been slowed and shifted into a range where the human body can perceive these cosmic distortions as vibration and rhythm. Nothing in this installation is abstract—it is a direct translation of actual gravitational wave detections, made tactile.
Data Analysis
Selected Gravitational Wave Event
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- Event ID: GW190814
- Type: Black hole-neutron star merger
- Detection Date: August 14, 2019
- Source Distance: Approximately 800 million light-years from Earth
This event represents a merger between a 23 solar mass black hole and a 2.6 solar mass object that falls in the “mass gap” between neutron stars and black holes.
Data Source
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- Primary Source: LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration
- Dataset: “Open data from the first and second observing runs of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo”
- Access URL: https://gwosc.org/eventapi/html/GWTC-2.1-confident/GW190814/v3
- Sampling Rate: 16,384 samples per second (original data)
- Scale of Phenomenon: Space-time distortions smaller than a proton’s width
Data Processing
The gravitational wave data was processed using Audacity. Initial translation produced shrill, unpleasant audio that was subsequently processed to create predominantly subsonic vibrations with almost imperceptible audible elements:
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- Converted to WAV audio format
- Applied speed reduction to extend duration
- Performed pitch shifting to move frequencies into subsonic range
- Created a looped sequence for continuous experience
Construction Specs and Materials
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- Dimensions: 16″ × 16″ × 5″ wooden housing with 12″ × 12″ exposed steel surface
- Interaction: Top-facing tactile surface
Materials:
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- 12″ × 12″ steel sheet
- 1″ plywood backing layer
- Bass transducer/tactile actuator
- Small audio amplifier
- USB drive with processed audio file
- 1/2″ plywood for housing
- Sorbothane anti-vibration pads
Assembly Process:
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- Steel sheet affixed to 1″ plywood using high-strength epoxy (5020 psi)
- Bass transducer mounted to plywood backing
- Transducer connected to amplifier and USB media source
- Wooden housing built with recessed supports featuring vibration isolation
- Metal sheet positioned flush with frame top
References
R. Abbott et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration), “Open data from the first and second observing runs of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo”, https://gwosc.org/eventapi/html/GWTC-2.1-confident/GW190814/v3