Ekkomaten: an auditory interface to the 18th century city of Aarhus

Abstract

In this paper we describe the design of and concept behind the interactive urban installation Ekkomaten. Ekkomaten was designed for an 18th century festival that took place in Aarhus, Denmark in March 2012. The installation functions as a listening device that can supposedly capture and play echoes from the past. The idea behind Ekkomaten is to provide an auditory interface that explores the use of sound to document and shape the perception of a particular location. By operating the physical machine people can uncover site-specific echoes in the form of 'auditory tableaux's that are inspired by historical events dramatized as radio plays. Through its physical design inspired by 18th century phantasy machines and pre-radar listening devices, Ekkomaten engages people affectively in the interaction with the hidden stories of the city.