Here is a really nice documentary on one of my projects for Discovery Channel Canada.

I just found this really nice video of Cyborg Neil Harbisson using the Eyeborg system I designed for him back in 2004. Its always fun when you make a surprise appearance on TV so take a peek at 2:56! There are some sections of the video in English so take a look.

Neil Harbisson, Eye-Borg wearer and student at Dartington College of Art: “I was in a lecture given by Adam Montandon in Dartington college and he was talking about cybernetics and cyborgs and how new technology can change the way we perceive the world and, when he finished and asked him if he thought it would be possible to create something so that I could perceive colour in some way and he said ‘Sure’, and we began a project.”

Guide Voice: What Adam created was the “Eye-Borg” – a means of transferring colours into a series of audible tones.

Adam Montandon, Director of Digital Futures, HMC Interactive and Guest Lecturer in Digital Arts, Dartington College of Art – “How the Eye-Borg system works is it uses a small, digital head mounted camera that takes in all the colout information directly in front of it and feeds it into a computer that you can wear in a backpack, it can be any normal laptop computer, and the laptop runs on special software that slows down the light waves and turns them into soundwaves. Those soundwaves then come out of the headphones here.”

Med. wide NH painting – audio tones from Eye-Borg can be heard
Over shoulder shot of painting – audio tones from Eye-Borg can be heard

Profile of NH painting – audio tones from Eye-Borg can be heard
c.u. paints held in hand – audio tones from Eye-Borg can be heard

Guide Voice: The Eye-Borg analyses the light waves it received and transposes these into sound waves. So red, which is a low colour frequency, is heard as a low tone; violet, at the other end of the spectrum, would sound as a high tone. This gives Neil his new found perception of colour and Adam is confident that he can adapt his invention to help others.

Adam Montandon – “The wider applications of the Eye-Borg are almost limitless. It’s not just for people with visual impairments; it could even be used for people with complete blindness. And also a lot of musicians, a lot of artists, a lot of engineers are really interested in a project that combines visual and audio experience as one new perception. Everybody uses their eyes or their ears in their day to day job, and this can really help to bring a closer connection between the two.”

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.