The Fish-Brain-Machine [Hall/Dusseiller/ Hackteria 2012] is a printed circuit board (PCB) that uses biofeedback [sweat response] to control two stroboscopic LEDs. Holding the circuit to the eyes induces psychedelic visual effects, colourful geometric fractal like forms for many users.  The first Fish-Brain-Machine was created for a workshop that took place during the Enki exhibition at Kapelica Gallery, Slovenia 2012-13. A second version of the PCB was produced for the Re-Mapping perception workshops at Radiona, Zagreb, 2018. The circuit design is based on a diagram of a Black Ghost Knifefish, a kind of electrogenic fish around which the original Enki project was based.

WORKSHOP:
During this workshop participants assemble the circuit and experiment with the effects, such as different coloured LEDs. Participants can also construct their own Ganzfeld goggles, to be used in conjunction with the PCB, which enhances the effects. 

Particpant experience transcript 06/2019

“Im getting what look like ripples, mostly white and blue, oh shit, there’s like halos of different colours on it, its really like video feedback, hexagons flashing on and off with interference looking, …sort of a grid, I’m seeing green and yellow now, white and blues, whoooo, ok…Yeah I don’t want to stop.”

MATERIALS:

Fish-Brain-Machine PCBs

Chip spec: CMOS Quad-NAND gate

Capacitor: 470nJ = 0.47 uF at 63V

2 x 8 MOhm Resistor

2 Bright LED’s 

1 x Battery Clip (either 9V clip – very bright, or 2 holders for 3V coin batteries)

 

 

PhD Exhibition instructions: Roll over the gallery plan above and click on the links; this will take you through a series of pages that constitutes the online exhibition, each page contains this same gallery plan. If you get lost in the blog, you can return to the exhibition via the ‘PHD EXHIBITION’ link in the main menu at the top of the page. [ See the exhibition press release here >>>]