Description

Cross polarization and darkfield microscopy highlight the edges of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) crystals grown as part of a live audio-visual performance.

Using microscopes as live performance instruments offer a unique mode of image synthesis that engages natural processes, human perception, probability, and entropy. These devices present many challenges to a potential performer, however, such as image capture, subject preparation, stage and focus adjustment, and illumination control. Automating a subset of these tasks gives the artist freedom to execute a performance with greater speed and accuracy, allowing for more engaging narratives and sophisticated techniques to be explored. Further research seeks to incorporate computer vision and robotics to create a unified performance instrument.

http://www.mat.ucsb.edu/~jmescalante/lukidus.html