Fire Rats and Personal Disorientation Headgear

Seven modified, high performance Fire Rats took on the Rat Baja 10, a treacherous ten foot track at the Fishbon Event Lab. When they were topped off with fondue fuel and set loose pitted against each other in a life and death survival struggle. Some sported bizarre headgear and costumes. There were no clear winners and all were eliminated in the the subsequent showdown. No roses were awarded. But much fin was had by all. Later in the evening, after sampling a bottle of Joseph Stalin's favorite wine, Event Lab denizens switched to Personal Disorientation Headgear. Based on periscope technology, headgear presents unusual viewing options (one eye forward, one eye back, etc.) More innovations to come next week.

Like the high performance machines they are, Fire Rats were modified, pierced and gassed up with fondue fuel. 

Rat Control has two modes: forward and spin (insanely) 

Two Fire Rats on the Rat Baja course in the Fishbon Event Lab 

Fire Rats in action. While in flambe mode, rats go forward or spin in circles at high speed. Subtlety is not a Fire Rat priority. 

End times rat race. 

Jill performs radical rat transformation surgery

Thanks to Skippy, fire safety comes first. 

The aftermath..rats survive Rat Baja with some minor burns 

Alan, Alex and Ethan work on original composition with text-to-speech software and digital samples 

Libations feature Stalin's favorite wine. Few admire Stalin, but wine judged acceptible. 

Dominique cuts mirrors for Personal Disorientation Headgear 

Nathan experiments with viewing tubes 

View through the Personal Disorientation Headgear 

High Speed Rotary Surround Sound Meets Mirrorworld

Two projects converged on Wednesday, March 23rd at Fishbon Event Lab. The Surround Sound experience was enclosed in a mirror and projectable fabric enclosure for a visual as well as sound experience. Musical input was run through Jean's DJ mixing board and combined with his own tracks. Not satisfied with an already cool expereince, Lab members discussed ways to create 360 degree strobed sound by spinning a cluster of digitally switched speakers. After fears of decapitation were assuaged, plans for a prototype were begun. On a separate front, Michael and Don worked on a 3-D Mirror World that could be entered by up to 6 people. The results could be mind altering. Stay tuned.

Michael, Ronit and Dominique talk about ways to spin a speaker above the Surround Sound booth with strobed audio.  

Improved Surround Sound booth with 360 degree mirrors and fabric with projected images. 

Surround Sound video projection on the front of Clay's pants (but will it come off in the wash?). 

Event Lab beer break

Don and Michael with Mirrorworld prototype. 

Mirror World founding fathers

Mirror World gone bad.

Sean, Dominique, Sharin and Steve talk about ways to improve mirrorworld.

Je Suis Digitalker

Wednesday, March 16th was another audio extravaganza with a full Surround Sound experience and Digitalker medley. Alan brought 6 speakers mounted on stands and positioned them around a chair at ear level. A microphone was then fed into digital effects boxes and speaker sequencer to produce strange audio that moved from speaker to speaker around the circle. When Steve and other daredevils donned a Fishbon Stunt Suit in signature orange and took the sound challenge they experienced 360 degree musical and audio effects. When the Digitalker was added by Event Lab artists the effect was ethereal. Dominique then added a Digitalker dialogue in three languages, Alex contributed original compositions from his laptop and Ronit and Carolyn sang into the effects altered microphone. The experience was mesmerizing. In a related development, Jeffrey demoed his secret LED enhanced attache case complete with color controls and hip surveillance look.

Steve and Dominique play the digitalker like virtuosi. 

Alex uses microphone to create special effects. 

Alex adds personal tracks to sound surround from his laptop. 

Dominique and Carolyn plan audio input madness for the Sound Surround.