ORE-SOME MACHINE
URANIUM-CONTROLLED MECHANICAL XYLOPHONE, 2017
DAVID CRANMER (UK)
The sculpture consists of a 44-note xylophone, played mechanically by a series of mallets and actuators (part of a machine responsible for moving or manipulating a mechanism or system). Within the casing of the machine is a sample of low-level, naturally occurring radioactive material.
A Geiger counter measures the activity of the uranium ore and translates the randomly occurring events into notes played on the xylophone. A microcontroller notes the time between three Geiger counter clicks, mapping the first and third click onto the beginning and end of the 44-note range of the xylophone. The second click is mapped onto a single note within that range, and a solenoid (coil of wire) is activated to mechanically play that note with a rubber mallet.
Further notes are played as the microcontroller continues to process activity from the Geiger counter. Winding a handle on the front of the sculpture physically moves a lead shield between the ore and the detector, increasing and decreasing the tempo of the composition.
BIO
David has been creating electronic and mechanical sculptures since 1998. These have been used to delight audiences in a variety of venues worldwide. He has produced installations for events including Southbank Ether Festival, Kinetica Art Fair, Frieze Art Fair, the Royal Astronomical Society, Science Museum and HKW Worldtronics in Berlin.
Time spent in the special effects industry has fine-tuned his love of dangerous machinery and dramatic engineering, and a keen interest in experimental audio has led to many of his sculptures taking the form of unusual musical instruments.