Putting the art in artery

16 October 2015 - 02:47 By Jessica Hunkin and Yolisa Mkele

Are you the kind of romantic soul who has wondered if it would be possible to render the beating of your heart as a love song? Well, the makers of a Namibian non-alcoholic malt drink, Vigo, have teamed up with South African artist Daniel Hirschmann, his London design and technology consultancy, Hirsch & Mann, and director Bryan Little to create a contraption that can do just that.The Vigo VCloud is an installation that converts brain waves, muscle movements and the pulse into music.With the help of local musicians Tumi, Nonku Phiri and Simphiwe Tshabalala, Little created an ad titled "The World Needs More of You" for Vigo using the VCloud's biometric witchcraft."The ad looks futuristic but everything you see in it is available now," said Little, who in making the ad played with the latest technologies such as projection mapping, animated LED bike wheels, and Xbox Kinect imagery.Taking the viewer from a guy singing on a bus to a futuristic party, the ad is a surprising amalgam of laser light show, urban African imagery and music that definitely does not sound like it came from a fancy robot.The VCloud is currently travelling around Southern Africa.You can see the ad on YouTube..

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