The Nomadic Sound System
Wearable wireless speakers propose go-anywhere surround sound
This year’s Royal College of Art summer showcase includes a wireless and wearable sound system for mobile musical performances. Dubbed “The Nomadic Sound System,” the project is the brainchild of Benjamin Newman—a member of RCA’s atypical study group Platform 13.
Comprised of nine speakers—three bass, four middle and two treble—each component looks like a marching band instrument, enabling the same freedom of movement and configuration. For musicians and DJs, the system opens up the potential for spontaneous site-specific performances and the distinct ability to shape music with speaker placement and motion. Audiences can also participate and experience surround sound in new ways.
“The NSS puts a human in control of each element of the sound system and allows them to move individually or as a group, so you can use choreography to mix sound spatially and travel through space,” Newman tells We Make Money Not Art. For a glimpse of “The Nomadic Sound System” in action, check out the video above.
