Adam Montandon's Blog
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To Vima
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Written by Adam Montandon [permalink]
Irene Carolina Veniou is a journalist in one of the most reliable political newspapers in Greece, called "To Vima" www.tovima.gr, www.tovimadaily.gr, for the scientific section.
She interviewed me about the Eyeborg project.
Irene Carolina Veniou: What is the Eyeborg? And how does it work exactly?
Adam Montandon: The Eyeborg is a device I invented for Neil Harbisson. Neil is completely colourblind, and can only see in black, white and shades of grey. His world is totaly black and white. I thought, if he can’t see colours, why shouldn’t he be able to HEAR colours?
So I invented the eyeborg, it basically turns colours into sounds. Colour is a very fast wavelength, so we slow it down, so it stops becoming a visible wave and starts becoming an audible wave.
So red is a very low frequency and becomes a low note, violet is a very high frequency and becomes a high note, and all the other colours are in between. That way you can hear the colour spectrum.
Irene Carolina Veniou: Does it run on batteries?
Adam Montandon: Yes. It runs off of a small laptop, powered by a battery, so Neil can run around without needing to be plugged in!
Irene Carolina Veniou: What are its' dimensions?
Adam Montandon: Well, there are lots of different versions in lots of different styles. Some fit in a baseball cap and others are larger.
Irene Carolina Veniou: How did you come up with the idea in the first place?
Adam Montandon: I was giving a lecture at Neil's college on Cyborg technologies and how we can change the way we see the world. Neil approached me afterwards and said that he didn’t see the world the same as everybody else. It was at that moment that I knew I had to make something for him.
Irene Carolina Veniou: When was it originally built?
Adam Montandon: On the 22nd March 2004 was Neil's Cyborg Birthday
Irene Carolina Veniou: Was Neil the first to use it?
Adam Montandon: Yes
Irene Carolina Veniou:. Were there any newer versions, and if yes, how sophisticated where there in comparison to the first one?
Adam Montandon: The main improvements have been making the device smaller and simpler to use, lighter to carry, and easier for Neil to apply to his every day life as a cyborg. The most interesting part is that Neil can change and modify the Eyeborg himself, so he can change and adapt it to suit his needs.
Irene Carolina Veniou: Can the device be used throughout the day, for everyday tasks, by people with achromatopsia?
Adam Montandon: Yes.
Irene Carolina Veniou: What are your future plans about this revolutionary device? Is it going to hit the market soon?
Adam Montandon: It’s not really a mass market project. Its not for everyone. Lots of people want to hear colour for a little while, but very few people want to become a cyborg!
Irene Carolina Veniou: Do you have a rough price in mind?
Adam Montandon: We can custom make technology for peoples needs, so we usually invent things for individual people, that way everything is perfect for them, so the cost depends on how much technology they want, and how many “upgrades” they want to perform on themselves.
Irene Carolina Veniou: How easily can a person without any musical knowledge use the Eyeborg, do you think?
Adam Montandon: Its very easy for anyone to use, because it is such a natural thing, to hear colour through your ears instead of seeing it with your eyes.
She interviewed me about the Eyeborg project.
Irene Carolina Veniou: What is the Eyeborg? And how does it work exactly?
Adam Montandon: The Eyeborg is a device I invented for Neil Harbisson. Neil is completely colourblind, and can only see in black, white and shades of grey. His world is totaly black and white. I thought, if he can’t see colours, why shouldn’t he be able to HEAR colours?
So I invented the eyeborg, it basically turns colours into sounds. Colour is a very fast wavelength, so we slow it down, so it stops becoming a visible wave and starts becoming an audible wave.
So red is a very low frequency and becomes a low note, violet is a very high frequency and becomes a high note, and all the other colours are in between. That way you can hear the colour spectrum.
Irene Carolina Veniou: Does it run on batteries?
Adam Montandon: Yes. It runs off of a small laptop, powered by a battery, so Neil can run around without needing to be plugged in!
Irene Carolina Veniou: What are its' dimensions?
Adam Montandon: Well, there are lots of different versions in lots of different styles. Some fit in a baseball cap and others are larger.
Irene Carolina Veniou: How did you come up with the idea in the first place?
Adam Montandon: I was giving a lecture at Neil's college on Cyborg technologies and how we can change the way we see the world. Neil approached me afterwards and said that he didn’t see the world the same as everybody else. It was at that moment that I knew I had to make something for him.
Irene Carolina Veniou: When was it originally built?
Adam Montandon: On the 22nd March 2004 was Neil's Cyborg Birthday
Irene Carolina Veniou: Was Neil the first to use it?
Adam Montandon: Yes
Irene Carolina Veniou:. Were there any newer versions, and if yes, how sophisticated where there in comparison to the first one?
Adam Montandon: The main improvements have been making the device smaller and simpler to use, lighter to carry, and easier for Neil to apply to his every day life as a cyborg. The most interesting part is that Neil can change and modify the Eyeborg himself, so he can change and adapt it to suit his needs.
Irene Carolina Veniou: Can the device be used throughout the day, for everyday tasks, by people with achromatopsia?
Adam Montandon: Yes.
Irene Carolina Veniou: What are your future plans about this revolutionary device? Is it going to hit the market soon?
Adam Montandon: It’s not really a mass market project. Its not for everyone. Lots of people want to hear colour for a little while, but very few people want to become a cyborg!
Irene Carolina Veniou: Do you have a rough price in mind?
Adam Montandon: We can custom make technology for peoples needs, so we usually invent things for individual people, that way everything is perfect for them, so the cost depends on how much technology they want, and how many “upgrades” they want to perform on themselves.
Irene Carolina Veniou: How easily can a person without any musical knowledge use the Eyeborg, do you think?
Adam Montandon: Its very easy for anyone to use, because it is such a natural thing, to hear colour through your ears instead of seeing it with your eyes.
Labels: Press
Guildhall Revamp
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Written by Adam Montandon [permalink]
By Matt Fleming
Business opportunities in Devonport are set to be 'potentially immense' when the area's historic but run-down Guildhall is transformed next year, say those behind the scheme.
Transformation of the Grade I-listed building in Ker Street into a cultural and business centre will bring 'major business opportunities for local people', says the social enterprise driving the plan forward.
The bid has been led by the Plymouth office of the Real Ideas Organisation (RiO), a community interest company.
This week it learned the Big Lottery Fund had approved in principle a £1million grant to help it 'once again flourish and become one of the South West's key hubs for culture, business, media, education and social and community activities'.
RiO has grown out of the Government's flagship Creative Partnerships initiative in the South West and is devoted to creative and cultural regeneration. For the past eight months it has been working on the Guildhall bid in collaboration with Plymouth City Council, consultants and architects GHK, the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership and CoastNet, which promotes sustainable management of Britain's coastline and seas.
This week's £1m funding indication means the alliance can start on the development of full-scale plans in consultation with the Devonport community and other partners.
RiO says it hopes the move will see the Guildhall fulfil its potential as 'a key South West centre for learning, culture, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurialism'.
"Some of the key factors needed to create a good environment for entrepreneurship and business are diversity and strong networks", said Ed Whitelaw, lead developer for RiO.
"The Guildhall will bring a number of public, third-sector and private organisations further together within one place, creating a critical mass of activity.
"These social, cultural and educational organisations will not only work in synergy together but will also further connect the local community to citywide, regional and national opportunities", he said. "With organisations such as RiO and the internationally-known HMC Interactive delivering work in one place, the possibilities this creates for local young people are potentially immense.
"To get to this key point in the Guildhall development process has been a very long but extremely worthwhile journey with a lot of hard work from an extensive team of extremely committed people.
"I can't wait to be standing in Devonport in a year and a half's time a see a vibrant and redeveloped Devonport Guildhall that not only serves the needs of the local community but is a also a cultural centre of regional if not national significance."
Labels: Press
Seeing things in a different light
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Written by Adam Montandon [permalink]
The following article is from a BBC report by Greg Wade. If you have Real Player you can watch the video here.
A Devon inventor has come up with a revolutionary device to help people who are colour blind to identify colours.
Reporter Greg Wade has been to see the device in action.
Imagine a world where you couldn't see any colour, and where oranges were grey and red peppers were an even darker grey.
Well for many who are colour blind - whether partially or fully - that is their reality.
But that is about to change, thanks to a new invention from a Plymouth inventor.
Adam Montandon has used computer technology to produce a device called an Eye-Borg, which enables people to hear the sound of a colour.
For example, blue creates a high sound, while red creates a low sound.
Neil Harbisson, an art student from Spain who is based in Dartington, South Devon, is the first person in the country to be equipped with the device.
He suffers from total colour blindness, so for him the device is especially useful. Being an artist and a musician, visuals and sounds are very important to Neil.
When he first got the device he often spent an hour in the fruit or flower section of a supermarket - just so he could experience for the first time the sound of the vibrant colours.
The Eye-Borg consists of a digital camera and a backpack which contains the computer and headset for Neil to listen to colours.
Neil said: "It has completely changed the way I see the world and the way I perceive things. Everything has an extra layer.
"I can go out and buy red peppers now, which I couldn't do before - I had to ask."
Eventually, Adam hopes to produce a miniature version, maybe shrinking it to the size of a mobile phone or eye glasses.
The device has all sorts of uses - from the electrician who is colour blind, to the artist who wants to explore a new and exciting world of colour and sound.
Between Adam and Neil, they both hope to improve and advance the Eye-Borg so it is more accurate and sophisticated.
A Devon inventor has come up with a revolutionary device to help people who are colour blind to identify colours.
Reporter Greg Wade has been to see the device in action.
Imagine a world where you couldn't see any colour, and where oranges were grey and red peppers were an even darker grey.
Well for many who are colour blind - whether partially or fully - that is their reality.
But that is about to change, thanks to a new invention from a Plymouth inventor.
Adam Montandon has used computer technology to produce a device called an Eye-Borg, which enables people to hear the sound of a colour.
For example, blue creates a high sound, while red creates a low sound.
Neil Harbisson, an art student from Spain who is based in Dartington, South Devon, is the first person in the country to be equipped with the device.
He suffers from total colour blindness, so for him the device is especially useful. Being an artist and a musician, visuals and sounds are very important to Neil.
When he first got the device he often spent an hour in the fruit or flower section of a supermarket - just so he could experience for the first time the sound of the vibrant colours.
The Eye-Borg consists of a digital camera and a backpack which contains the computer and headset for Neil to listen to colours.
Neil said: "It has completely changed the way I see the world and the way I perceive things. Everything has an extra layer.
"I can go out and buy red peppers now, which I couldn't do before - I had to ask."
Eventually, Adam hopes to produce a miniature version, maybe shrinking it to the size of a mobile phone or eye glasses.
The device has all sorts of uses - from the electrician who is colour blind, to the artist who wants to explore a new and exciting world of colour and sound.
Between Adam and Neil, they both hope to improve and advance the Eye-Borg so it is more accurate and sophisticated.
Labels: colourblind, Press
Story in the Western Morning News
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Written by Adam Montandon [permalink]
Here is a story in today's Western Morning News about one of the projects we have been working on called Penguin Academy.
A Plymouth-based company has completed a series of interactive experiences for the visitor centre at Torquay's Living Coasts.
The zoo's new Discovery Zone will feature a dynamic series of displays, created by HMC Interactive.
It will be launched in May and consists of three major exhibits: a website, an interactive floor and a "penguin training facility".
"Children will love this exhibit as there will be an instant interaction as things can happen under their feet even when they are standing still," said an HMC spokesman. "Visitors will be able to pull their ecological weight and have fun at the same time."
The penguin trainer involves touch screens which allow visitors to choose their own penguin to nurture, grow and teach a survival skill to. Four games will be available and they will work together to create a penguin lifecycle of feeding, breeding and evading predators.
Cyber Seaside is a floor which invites visitors to stand on virtual litter to clean a beach and stomp around fishing nets to uncover trapped animals. It is controlled by a series of motion sensors that track the user's movements and create a graphic illusion based on where people are situated.
Labels: Press
Globe and Mail
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Written by Adam Montandon [permalink]
I get a mention with the eyeborg project in Canada's Globe and Mail
Labels: colourblind, Press
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