For almost a decade, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has been enabling scientists to develop a greater understanding of 鈥 and, in some cases, rewrite 鈥 the laws of physics.
But now data generated by the world鈥檚 largest and most powerful particle accelerator are to be transformed into music through a ground-breaking project involving researchers at the 探花视频.
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR), working in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab and CERN in Switzerland, is developing new ways of listening to particle collision data produced by one of the LHC鈥檚 detectors, ATLAS.
Composers will use high performance computers and sophisticated modelling and simulation technology to present the data in sound, creating musical works that are objectively informed by science rather than merely inspired by it.
But as well as portraying the complex science in a new way, it is also hoped scientists might be able to use the compositions to enhance their understanding of the data in front of them.
The Head of the ICCMR, Professor Eduardo Miranda, said:
鈥淲e have previously worked on various sonification projects, however it does not always work for very complex data because it can result in nonsense noise. As such, we are championing the concept of 鈥榤usification鈥, using a subjective interpretation to render the information aesthetically, rather than merely scientifically. This approach to render big data sonically might reveal properties and behaviours that would probably not be revealed with parametric sonification.鈥
LHC collisions produce an extremely large amount of data, and the design of a system that is able to convey these data auditorily in meaningful ways is not a trivial task.
The research is looking into combining ICCMR鈥檚 granular sound synthesis technology, based on theory of sound quanta, with MIT鈥檚 Quantizer system, which enables artists to sonify a small subset of the complicated phenomena occurring inside the collider.
The MIT Media Lab is an interdisciplinary research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology devoted to projects at the convergence of technology, multimedia, sciences, art and design.
Professor Miranda recently took part in a research residency at the MIT Media Lab 鈥 partially funded by Santander Universities and the University鈥檚 School of Humanities and Performing Arts 鈥 which helped launch the current collaboration.
Professor Joe Paradiso, Director of the MIT Media Lab鈥檚 Responsive Environments Group, said:
鈥淢y team enjoyed engaging with Eduardo and getting him going with the tools we developed to map music onto the ATLAS data at the Large Hadron Collider. We鈥檙e looking forward to hearing the composition he produces, leveraging his granular synthesis tools that are well-suited to being driven by data of this sort.鈥
As part of the project, Professor Miranda is also working with piano prodigy Derek Wang, from the Juilliard School in New York, on a new composition for piano and electronics titled Weak Force. It is likely to premiere in the Spring of 2018.
Professor Miranda added:
鈥淭his is an unprecedented opportunity to put the outcomes of this project, and some of the new music technologies that we have been developing at ICCMR, into practice. I am thrilled that Derek is keen to premiere this exciting new composition here in 探花视频.鈥
