1. Emergent Clock (Particle Life), 2024, software
2. Emergent Clock (Cellular Automata), 2024, software
Emergent Clocks(2023-2024)
SoftwareEmergent Clocks was initially developed for the installation Invisibility of Colour to create an immersive soundscape, distributing audio samples across a wide rectangular grid of loudspeakers hidden behind a large white canvas.
In collaboration with programmer Coen Konings, software was developed to autonomously generate a dynamic, ever-changing sound composition ecosystem, supporting up to 25 individual audio channels. This control system, referred to as an Emergent Clock, is an algorithm based on cellular automata and particle motion. Both the cellular automata clock and the particle system clock operate like mathematical petri dishes, cultivating and sustaining artificial life within a digital environment. These models consist of grids of cells that can adopt various states and spontaneously organize into complex patterns.
The Emergent Clock interface is divided into three main sections. On the left, audio meters display volume levels and adjustable parameters. In the center, the particle system and cellular automata are visualized in real time as they operate. On the right, the distribution of audio samples across a two-dimensional canvas is shown, guided by the behavior of the systems. Two types of clocks are employed: the particle system clock distributes audio samples along lines influenced by particle speed and movement, while the cellular automata clock creates clusters at specific canvas locations, determined by the dominance of particular groups of cells.