Multimodal Control of Music and Fire Patterns

We developed hardware and software tools to enable interactive performances whereby a dancer controls both music and fire. Pyro-technician Pierre D’haenens built at ShowFlamme [10] a patent pending ramp of 20 flames projectors. The height of each flame is individually controlled by software. We developed a light wireless wearable sensor system and video analysis tools for a stereoscopic camera in order to track reliably the gestures, the position and height of a dancer despite the presence of the flames. We combined these developments with previous ones related to real-time interactions with dancers and musicians. This allows the performer to control simultaneously flame patterns and the music, using position, height, gestures and sound analysis.