Gateway

In GATEWAY we report on significant events,including confmces and expositions; news o f interesting devel+nnentsin technoha and scienceas thq relate to the arts; tutorial-he1discussionso f impartant technologies and sciencefor the n m x pert . Wewelcome readm’suggestionsfor and e m tributions tofiture sections. GLOVE CONTROLLERS FOR AUDIO-VISUAL PERFORMANCES The field of alternate controllersfor audio and visual arts has rapidly grown in the last fewyears. W e have seen the emergence of new controllers,such as the Max Mathews’sRadio Drum, Moog’snew Theramin, Buchla’s Lightning and countless others, that all use newways the artist can interface and control the audiovisual medium. W e have seen new controllersproduce music and sounds and manipulate sounds, lighting, Compact Discs-ReadOnly Memory (CD-ROMs)and video tracks. Many of the new controllersuse technology that has been developed in various high-tech fields, such asfolded laser optics and virtual reality. One subset of these new controllershas recently taken a course of its own. Severalpeople have begun using a sensor-installedglove to manipulate music and sounds for live performance. Much of the technology for sensor-embedded gloves has come from hardware and research in virtual reality. A cult has emerged amongglove performers who share technical resources and communicating across the world by Internet. One aspect of these glove controllersthat is different from many other types of controllersis the time and cost required to develop them. It is now possible to have a reasonably sophisticated performancequality systemfor an alternate controller at low ASCENT FEASIBILITY STUDY The policy of the Association for Art, Science, Engineering and Technology (ASCENT)is to encourage enhanced relations amongthese disciplinesto the benefit of our material and cultural environment. Many of our hopes-indeed the hopes of humankindfor the future-depend on or would benefitfrom the improvementof such relations. United States, Japan and Europe have the backingof institutionsor have become institutionsintheir own right. Britain has yet to take a significant initiativein this direction. ASCENT is assessingthe feasibility of settingup a centre anda National Associationfor Art, Science, Engineering andTechnologyinthe United Kingdom.These shouldbe mutually supportive entities in achievingthe aims of ASCENT as a whole, which may be stated as follows: Groups similar to ASCENT inthe 1.To provide a nationalforum for 01993 ISAST 185 LEONARDO,Vol26, No.3,pp.185-191,1993 ASCENT Feasibility Study. .. discussion and the dissemination of information. 2. To publicly acknowledge and celebrate achievementsthat support the principles of ASCENT. 3. To initiate and promote such projects. 4. To develop relations with similar bodies in other countries. 5. To encourageand carry out re search into historical, contemporary and visionary relationsbetweenthese disciplines and their practitioners. A feasibility study, to be completed by March 1993, will explore the viability of these proposals in principle with the support of the Universityof Strathclyde and the Glasgow School of Art. ing support to ASCENT or to contribute views on the proposed developments, please contact Colin Sanderson, Director, ASCENT FeasibilityStudy, 11Hallcroft Close, Ratho, Newbridge, MidlothianEH28 8SD, U.K., or Dept. of Civil Engineering, Universityof Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4ONG, U.K. Tel/Fax: 031-333-5288. For further information about lendScience and art have, perhaps, never been as close to each otheras thty are now. Both are creativedisciplines; both have the tendency to synthsize . Many scientists are involved in s o m kind o f art, and s o m o f them even considerscience to be a special kind o f art. -Attila Csiji and NorbertKro6 Glove C o n t r o l l e r s ... consumer cost. Some hacking and rudimentary knowledge of programming and electronicsis required. Types of gloves used within this group are either the Nintendo Power Glove or a homemade glove with sensors and electronicssewn into the fabric. The Nintendo Power Glove is the only consumer-priced glove sold commercially. It is priced at under $40,and its closest competitors are all over $1,000. Manufacturing has been discontinued, but the Power Glove can still be found at local toy stores as a children ’svideo-game accessory. Some people have designed electronic interfaces that allow these gloves to be connected to computers or Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)devices. A number of artists...