WHAT IS CYMASPACE?
CymaSpace is a Portland, OR based non-profit that focuses on making cultural events inclusive for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. We develop art and performances that largely feature the synergy of sound, light, and vibration – some of which have been featured on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, in the Oregon Museum Science and Industry (OMSI), and the Portland Winter Light Festival.
CymaSpace was founded by Myles de Bastion, because as a musician and visual interaction designer who also happens to be Deaf, he experienced first-hand the challenge of participating in a world, that for most part takes for granted the accessibility of sound.
CymaSpace serves to create bridges between the Deaf and the Hearing in a positive way that open doors for underserved minorities, changes misconceptions about Deafness and is striving to make a real, socio-economic difference. Through our work, we show that by lowering barriers that prevent equal access to art and culture, everyone benefits.
CymaSpace is an entirely volunteer-run organization that consists of a thriving community of engineers, artists and forward-thinking partnering organizations who are pioneering the next generation of accessibility, as it pertains to arts and cultural events.
A CymaSpace event is something that needs to be experienced first-hand, all art technology and modern accessibility implementations are developed in-house and cannot be not readily found anywhere else. Whether you are Hearing, Deaf or Hard of Hearing, young or old, all of your senses will be engaged!
Myles is a musician who also happens to be Deaf. His search for ways to bridge his passion for music with his Deaf identity led him to develop technology that enables sound to be experienced as light and vibration.
He is now using this technology to show how performing arts can be made more inclusive and engaging for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing.
Learn more about the work of the film-maker Travis Howe over at www.redlabpdx.com
The AudioLux One is a new kind of LED lighting controller developed by the team at CymaSpace that will intelligently translate sound and music into light, color and movement. The system is specifically designed for musicians, producers and small events and provides simple, plug-and-play functionality. No complex programming or electronics know-how is required.
Make it your own. Any size LED project is possible.
Digital individually addressable LED strips are thin, flexible, power efficient and can be cut to any length which allows lighting effects to be incorporated in tight spaces and even into your existing music equipment.
For ambitious projects, it’s possible to build interactive LED installations on a large scale, with the Audiolux One sending pixel data to hundreds (even thousands of LEDs!). see some examples of such projects that we have built below.
For the software programming-savvy, the hardware has been designed around the Open-Source Arduino architecture allowing for complete freedom to customize the visualization or modify the hardware functionality of the in-built knobs and footswitch. As the community of Audiolux One users grows, you can expect to see new visualizations being created and shared. If you don’t know how to program, you can still upload new presets over USB with any Windows/Mac/Linux computer and change up the visualizations.
Every purchase of an Audiolux One benefits CymaSpace.
A percentage of proceeds from every sale of the Audiolux One will be donated directly to CymaSpace to help our organization continue it’s mission of making performing arts more inclusive and engaging to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.
To learn more or purchase an Audiolux One System head over to it’s dedicated website: www.audioluxdevices.com.
At CymaSpace, we are working to make performing arts more accessible and inclusive to the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing. The team behind our innovative Technology Program are proud to announce our newest development:
Cymatic Lighting – A Modern “Visual Sound” System for Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing
An open source Cymatic Lighting system that allows the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing to see music & alerts using the Arduino hardware platform & digital individually addressable LEDs. Source code and information on how to purchase or rent the system can be found at the bottom of this page.
1 in 8 Americans & 360 million people globally live in partial or complete silence due to hearing loss. Cultural events (performing arts & social gatherings) are a powerful way to bring communities together; however the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) are often excluded their benefits. When such events rely on sound to deliver their experience or message, organizations & artists often overlook equal access as they lack resources or awareness to ensure their event activities are accessible to those who cannot hear.
To address this need, CymaSpace serves the community providing advocacy for DHH patrons as well as access to ASL interpreters, accessible technologies and Deaf awareness training to art organizations, venues, festivals and individual artists.
Through the CymaSpace Technology Program, we are developing hardware & software solutions to intelligently translate audio into light & vibration, sound can be seen & felt not just heard. When applied to performing arts; DHH & hearing audiences respond positively, reporting new appreciation for art mediums previously thought inaccessible. Many state the developments encourage them to attend events & socialize more. DHH artists could follow rhythms & perform alongside hearing peers. Others express a desire to use the technology at home for their entertainment system or even alert/safety systems.
The Cymatic Lighting System represents a significant first step in providing equal access to sound & music during performing arts & social events. Our affordable to purchase, rent or easy-to-build, open-source sound-reactive LED lighting system can be used in a variety of applications such as creating a visually compelling lighting addition to performance stages or integrated into architecture and even furniture. Incorporating Cymatic Lighting into your events has been shown to increase attendance by the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing community and is a great way to improve equal access.
If you are interested in incorporating Cymatic Lighting into your own venue, event or artistic practice there currently several options available:
Cymatic Lighting System Rental
The system can be rented from CymaSpace and temporarily installed at your event. Please Contact Us directly for rental inquiries.
Purchase a System through Audiolux Devices
Audiolux Devices (audioluxdevices.com), offer the system, built to order in a rugged, easy-to-use and compact kit that can be purchased and even customized to fit your unique needs.
Build your own
The source-code and basic getting started instructions on how to build your own Cymatic Lighting System have been released over on our Github page (github.com/CymaSpace/Cymatic-Lighting)
Join today and receive full perks of the CymaSpace membership program including discounted access to events, and a special rewards program with our many participating local and national businesses.
We Make Arts, Cultural & Media Events Accessible & Inclusive To The Deaf & Hard of Hearing Through Technology, Education & Outreach
What is CymaSpace?
Accessibility & Inclusion
CymaSpace is a leading advocate for accessibility and inclusion within performing arts, cultural events, and media broadcasting for DHH people. We are constantly striving to find new ways to ensure our venue and events are inclusive, especially to DHH communities.
Technology & Arts Incubator
We provide incubator services for new fledgling organizations and communities that are exploring emerging concepts in combining technology and the arts.
Education & Outreach
We provide educational opportunities for artists, the general public and other performance venues interested in incorporating our unique, cymatic concepts into their work.
Cymatic Study
CymaSpace is an epicenter for Cymatic study and we are committed to raising awareness of and promoting the benefits of Cymatics (the science and study of sound made visible).
