NEST / SONAR

Iregular

NEST is a sound-focused digital artwork that changes the way we are used to experiencing interactive art. Adaptable to any context, space, and size specifications, this modular piece draws inspiration from the harmonious formations perceived in nature and the instinctive defence mechanisms of insect colonies as humans approach their natural habitat.

This project is the first to use SONAR, our new sound location technology. Combining our proprietary tracking system, directional ultrasonic speakers created by Holosonics, robotic arms, and very specific sound design, we can now create sound experiences that follow participants and expose every person in the very same room to a different sonic reality.

Though it may not seem so, audio design takes up 50% of the importance of all the interactive experiences we create. Because it’s not visible however, it is the visual aspect that often ends up in the limelight. It is crucial to keep in mind that we produce audiovisual experiences; without the sound, the experience loses a lot in impact and quality. With visual experiences taking big developmental leaps forward, current off-the-shelf audio technologies are in comparison extremely limited and limiting, which is why we decided to take matters into our own hands and develop a system ourselves. This is how SONAR was born. With the digital art world being overly reliant on the sense of sight, it's high time we flip the script.

Project Collaborators:

Full Iregular team: CREATION BY: Iregular CREATIVE DIRECTION: Daniel Iregui EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION: Hind Azennar ARTISTIC DIRECTION: Célia Genevois MULTIMEDIA DIRECTION: Alice Sanz TECHNICAL DIRECTION: Xavier Tremblay, Hugo St-Onge PROGRAMMING: Joseph Battesti, Hugo St-Onge, Guillaume Turgeon, Etienne Deniger SOUND DESIGN: Joseph Battesti CREATIVE WRITING: Mariam Assaf