ChemicoKaleido
An interactive installation that turns real chemical reactions into kaleidoscopic visuals and live sound.
background
A traditional kaleidoscope reveals changing colors and geometries through mirrors and rotation. Microscopic structures, such as crystals and cells, offer another world of delicate, evolving patterns.
ChemicoKaleido brings this inspiration into a physical installation. By combining visual and auditory experiences, it gives otherwise hard-to-perceive chemical processes a tangible presence.
design process
We first replaced computer-simulated chemistry with real chemical experiments. A custom multi-mirror structure uses optical reflections to transform the changing reaction structures into physical kaleidoscopic imagery.
We then added sound feedback. Sensors track changes in the solution's electrical conductivity, which are mapped to tones and pitch. As the reaction unfolds, these changes form a musical sequence connected to the same process.
outcome
We developed a physical kaleidoscope for observing chemical reactions and an accompanying music-generation device. The kaleidoscope combines mirrored sheets, a reaction vessel, a platform, a bearing, a small light bulb, and a base. Reactions between sodium silicate solution and reagents containing copper, iron, or cobalt ions produce structures for observation.
The music-generation device senses changes in electrical conductivity in real time and translates them into sound, giving the reaction both a visual and an auditory expression.