The comodity of signalisation in public space is relying on covering more than one sense per information. Most of the pavement design is determined by the tactile information set in stones. The ticking devices installed on traffic lights poles to help blind people safely cross the street are one of those glazing layers on the functionality of our public space. All these are also perceivable by people with no vision imparities and probably often used by them. How really safe is this environment and how misleading all this information can get? What happens when you take the devices in your own hands and add misinformation?

 

 

 

 

I used measurings out of hard plastic that you can find in a supermarket as resonant bodies for the ticking device. The ticking is produced by rhythmical hits of the solenoid mounted on the bottom of the measuring bucket. The electronic circuit that drives the solenoid looks like this:

Two devices were mounted on the sunblinds in front of the gallery.

The controlling nobs inside the gallery were enabling the visitors to switch them on and off and change the speed of ticking.

This was supposed to affect the people passing by and eventually change their speed of walking or at least drag attention.

 

from Rotterdam Centraal to the Kabouter Buttplug

A powerful walk. Having the device in one's own hands but hidden in a bag enables the person to have influence on the passer by at any time in any speed.

Walking clooud of people

A bit as a driving force for the speed of movement did not work in the intuitive and sponteneous way as I first expected becuase people would firstly look at the source of sound and after validating it, would not pay more attention to it. That was the initiative reason for this performance which is an enactment of how people should be affected by the sound I produce.

how do they find their way around the city and do they use the traffic lights sounds? can they recognize a city by it's sound?

http://pzwart2.wdka.hro.nl/~ssavic/bbb/interview-all.mp3

Fishing for the Crossers

Standing at a crossing, mimicking the ticks of an imaginary traffic light, based on the human estimation of danger.

Step by Step

With the use of light resistors hidden in the pavement, every step can cause an outburst of ticks

I used parts of a KPN conact micrpohone + an arduino board with a simple ticking program + a plastic glass
Here you can see it in action:

"Do you listen to the sound? Do you follow what it's telling? Do you find it useful or confusing? Would you mind having it changing at different crossings?"

Here you can listen to the interveiws with people waiting for the green lignt at the crossing between Coolsingel and Wesblaak, May 20th, around 5 o'clock

http://pzwart2.wdka.hro.nl/~ssavic/bbb/traffic-interview-20-05.mp3