With lessons learned from doingincline decline's massive, static and extremely heavyweight ceiling, we got started on the frames for walls have ears. Unlike the previous wooden model, each frame is now made up of coroplast (corrugated plastic sheets) and styrofoam, making it extremely lightweight. With each frame being able to mount separately on the wall, we are no longer limited to one static frame, but a series of modules behind the massive lycra frame. This means we can experiment with the arrangement and not be restricted to a fixed arrangement, especially when going to install on site. Now the setup is versatile and light.

In addition to building the frames, all modules and our circuit are fully hooked up and ready for programming as you can see in the test below. As of now the balloons are striped naked. Next week with the addition of spandex/ lycra on top; walls have ears ​will really be coming together.

Three MICS setup around the lab. Any speech in the room directly inflated a 9' weather balloon. Sections of speech gets stored in a buffer. When the balloon is in idle mood, buffer is on delay, sounding as if there are lost voices stored in the balloon. As of now when you hit a switch the balloon will deflate spilling the contents of buffer at first from inside the balloon (with speaker setup inside) and slowly ramps to the second speaker directly above where the ballon chamber spill. Please see video below for a bit of clarification. 

Below you can see a short video of our experiment and  the grant application I did, trying to get money to make the Proportional Pressure Controller accessible. Click on full screen to be able to properly view it:

The story telling balloon project is an exploration into making audible activity in space into something tangible, visible and feel-able through air). The project captures spoken word in space and as words are spoken gradually inflates the balloon until it’s full and then deflates, spilling its contents back out in the space. The output scenario is not yet fixed. Possible scenarios include projection of words or playback of words simultaneously as the balloon deflates. Given that the balloon if gone beyond its capacity will explode, the project needs a safe kill switch. Two reliable options came to mind: a pressure sensor inside a chamber or some conductive material that would act as kill switch when the pressure of the balloon strategically placed will make the connection once balloon is full and deflate the balloon. The max patch is on its way but was not included for the prototype.

1. mic setup faraway to bypass feedback loop (in 2nd iteration instead of threshold there will be voice recognition recording any actual conversation where by it is speaking and not just any noise that will activate the valve)
2. amplitude over certain threshold will active pneumatic valve
3. amplitude under certain threshold will shut off pneumatic valve
4. process keeps iterating until balloon is full and this is where the kill switch comes into play
5. when balloon is filled the top of it will touch the bottom of the cabinet where 2 pieces of conductive tape are hanging
6. ballon pushes against the tape and makes a connection which in turn turn on the solenoid for deflation
7. simultaneously the word spoken into the balloon will playback in reverse based on the time of deflation
8. ie. if the total time of inflation (words spoken) is 30seconds and deflation time is 10 seconds then the playback will speed up by 3 times and playback in reverse while the balloon is deflating
9. with voice recognition the words would ideally by scattered onto where the balloons deflate
   

void setup()
{
  pinMode(12, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(2, INPUT);
  pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(4, INPUT);
}
void loop()
{
  if(digitalRead(2) == HIGH)
  {
    digitalWrite(12, HIGH);
    delay(10000);
  }
  else
  {
    digitalWrite(12, LOW);
  }

  if(digitalRead(4) == HIGH)
  {
    digitalWrite(13, HIGH); 
  }
  else
  {
    digitalWrite(13, LOW);
  }
}