Short explanation about project
The Project is planned for the end exam exhibition at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, June/ July 2008, (might also be shown at later occasions).
The work is an installation with video projections, machines and live insects.
A box is located on the top of a pedestal. The box contains crane flies, which will be seen through a small window. The crane fly's movements are intercepted by sensors which translates the movements to commands for a machine. The walls in the room are covered by video projections showing fragments of movements taken from various sources. By means of wires, the machine can move around in the whole room.
Technically what I need is:
I have got hold of insect movement sensors from the University of Groeningen. Movement, especially flight, of the insects are detected by a Doppler-soundwave reflection principle and generates an electrical signal that can be read out to a paper recorder or a computer screen.
What I need to do is to somehow use the graph of movements send output commands to a machine (made by me, most likely controlled by remote controls). I am not sure of how this can be done in the best way possible, but I have some suggestions which I can explain more precisely if needed.
I will attach a drawing I made of the actometer system, and a short explanation, so you can get an idea of how these devices work.
From the actometer to box 1, (a quite big box with ten input for ten different sensors). From box 1 there is an output that fits to box 2. Box two can be attached to box 3 with a cable with seven pin hole connections. Box 3 is connected to a lamp with a sensor on it.
I have contacted the manufacturer and asked for manuals and software, but so far I haven't heard anything. They did not have any explanation or manual at Groningen anymore, as this is quite old equipment.
At the moment I am especially interested in learning how the electrical, or digital, signals can control the remote control.
Do I need a special kind of remote control to be able to do this?
All ideas on how I can make insects' movements control a radio controlled device are appreciated:)