Catch a Cosmic Ray

The goal of this project was to produce an audio-visual experience to view and experience cosmic rays. It begins with a portable and compact diffusion cloud chamber that produces the visual tracks of particles, then takes a video input of this phenomenon and produces a musical composition from the motion of the vapor within the chamber. The motion is captured through a method called frame differencing with additional optimizations to allow a smooth auditory experience. The physical fabrication of the chamber involved multiple techniques including 3D modeling, laser cut and CNC'd materials. Electronics include two thermoelectric heaters/coolers that allow for the formation of the "cloud" and are all powered by an internal power supply.