Sound Clouds

Sound Clouds is an interactive, surround sound installation that explores the concept of ambient intelligence. 'Ambient intelligence' systems are AI which have become so embeded in an environment they have become insperable from it. These systems are found in smart home systems like Google Home as well some computers embedded in cars.

In Sound Clouds, an AI system shifts a soundscape in the room depending on the location of large scale, floating inflatables. Participants are invited to push the inflatables around the room to see how the pitch, tempo, and reverb of the soundscape changes. In doing so, participants are invited to form their own "mental models" for where the ambient intelligence is and how it operates. These mental models are explored further in a creative interview and survey study after participants leave the exhibit.

This project is headed by Brian Magerko and a large team of computer scientists, digital media students, and music technologists at the Expressive Machinery Lab at Georgia Tech. I lead the research team for this project and am on the sound design and ux teams.

This project will be exhibited at the Goat Farm Arts Center at the end of April and a paper will be submitted to CHI 2026 in September.