As part of my Enki exhibition at Kapellica Gallery in Ljubljana 2012, I developed a related perceptual illusions and brain hacks workshop with Marc Dusseiller [Hackteria], as part of the gallery’s Biotech program. We came up with the idea to make a special issue circuit for the workshop and we set to work designing a circuit the encapsulated the Enki project in miniature.

After a couple late nights, we came up with this super cool PCB design. Marc worked hard to create a fully functional efficient design, which was also aesthetically pleasing. The outline of the fish is also the ground in the circuit. This has to be the most ultra minimal brain-machine available to build. 6 components. We spent further late nights acid etching the circuits for the workshop in Marc’s home lab.

It uses ‘biofeedback’ to control the pulse frequency of the lights, low tech Galvanic skin response. Your fingertips press on the fingerprint, acting like a simple resistance meter, sensing the sweat levels to control strobe frequency [specifically 10-30htz to create hallucinations] of two ultra-bright LEDs to create the optical stimulation. The capacitor and resistor set the standby slow pulse and the range within the level necessary to cause visual hallucination. The design incorporates measurement graduations for eye spacing so you can personalise LED placement to fit your eyes.

It’s possible to use extra LEDs and several colours.  After soldering the 6 components its possible to layback and experience your own personal electronic psychedelic experience.