BlobHertz: Touching the Sound Waves

Roberto Maurizio Paura's Award-Winning Design Transforms Music into Tangible Art

As a child, Paura was fascinated by the properties of non-Newtonian fluids, whose viscosity varies depending on the applied shear stress. This childhood fascination led to the creation of BlobHertz, a design that allows the tactile exploration of key frames of favorite songs. The design is highly customizable, with the final product's unique features determined by the material used, its transparency index, light refraction, and the type of soundtrack to which the fluid is subjected.

The creation of BlobHertz involves covering a subwoofer speaker with plastic wrap and pouring a fluid mixture of water and rice starch onto it. The fluid is then subjected to a soundtrack containing several bass sounds. The fluid's behavior is photographed from multiple angles and reconstructed using 3D software. The model can be realized from a gypsum block worked with a CNC milling machine, or it can be created using wood, marble, or a 3D printer.

The project started in Rome in January 2011 for the "Theory of Form" course at ISIA ROMA and was completed in September 2011. It was included in the "Design For 2015" volume by Promote Design and presented at Salone del Mobile Milano and at the EXPO 2015. The underlying research for this design involved the analysis of the causes of deformation on surfaces, leading to the innovative idea of merging sound waves with a non-Newtonian fluid to make them tangible.

One of the main challenges in the creation of BlobHertz was the collection of movement caused by sound waves. Without a 3D scanner or other special equipment, the reconstruction of shapes by software was crucial to achieve a faithful correspondence. The analyzed soundtracks were divided following the 4/4 time rhythm to identify the most lively moments.

BlobHertz is more than just a wall covering; it's a unique, intimate experience that allows users to physically interact with their favorite music. By running their fingers over the deformed surface, users can engage with the music in a new and exciting way. The design can even be created as an empty module that can be illuminated from inside, adding another layer of interaction and customization.