(RAKS) Remote electroAcoustic Kinesthetic Sensing System

A collaboration between Aurie Hsu and composer, Steven Kemper, the RAKS (Remote electroAcoustic Kinesthetic Sensing) system is a wearable wireless interface designed specifically for belly dance.

The RAKS system is designed to minimize the amount of interference with the dancer’s movement. To that aim, our system is constructed using the LilyPad Arduino, based on the ATmega328V microcontroller. The LilyPad is programmed to receive incoming sensor data and pass it wirelessly to the computer as serial data using Digi's Xbee modules. Sensors used in shadows no. 5 include a flex sensor, accelerometer, and zils (finger cymbals) wired as switches. The RAKS system is modular and sensors are incorporated based on the artistic requirements of each piece, therefore different pieces use different collections of sensors.

Publications

Kinesonic approaches to mapping movement and music with the remote electroacoustic kinesthetic sensing (RAKS) system
Authors: Aurie Hsu and Steven Kemper
Publication: Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Movement and Computing, Vancouver, Canada, August 14-15, 2015, pp. 45- 47. New York, NY: ACM.

Kinesonic Composition as Choreographed Sound: Composing Gesture in Sensor-Based Music
Authors: Aurie Hsu and Steven Kemper
Publication: ICMC 2015, Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference

Read a publication on performance using an early version of the RAKS system

Video of shadows no. 6 for RAKS system + EMMI robotic instruments

Dissertation

Kinesonic Composition, Choreographed Sound: Balancing Kinetic and Kinesthetic Sense with Physical and Imagined Gesture in Music

Additional Research and Teaching Interests

musical gesture in composition
prepared/extended piano
human-computer interaction
Middle Eastern music and dance
performance practice in contemporary music
experimental music
performance of improvised music
contemporary belly dance culture
composer/choreographer collaborations
music and outreach