Orbophone: a new interface for radiating sound and image

The Orbophone is a new interface that radiates rather than projects sound and image. It provides a cohesive platform for audio and visual presentation in situations where both media are transmitted from the same location and localization in both media is perceptually correlated. This paper discusses the advantages of radiation over conventional sound and image projection for certain kinds of interactive public multimedia exhibits and describes the artistic motivation for its development against a historical backdrop of sound systems used in public spaces. One exhibit using the Orbophone is described in detail together with description and critique of the prototype, discussing aspects of its design and construction. The paper concludes with an outline of the Orbophone version 2.