Participate

Host A Sensor

We are actively looking for artists and collaborators– in each time zone on earth– to host a light sensor from June 21st, 2023 (now extended)through June 21st, 2025. The network is growing and we will be accepting new locations through Dec 2024.

WHAT WILL I DO AS A HOST?

  • Set the light sensor we send you on your windowsill. 
  • Provide electricity (it uses a 5v USB power supply) and wifi access at least once a day, and you will become part of a global collaborative team providing the project’s raw data. 
  • It will send data automatically. The day cycles of change in the color of light in your environment over the 2023 – 2024 year are at the heart of Domestic Light. 
  • You can share (if willing) once a month a 1 minute sound recording responding to prompt : “the sound of home?” that will serve as the basis for composer Pamela Z‘s score for project. It may be used in a live audio / visual performance by Ian Winters and composer / performer Pamela Z In 2025, as well as a live monitor work during the year.. You will also be able to share writing about your experience of observing the year’s passage of light on the website if you desire.
  • You will also be able to stream the data collected to your local network to use in your own projects via OSC.

I WANT TO PARTICIPATE. WHAT NEXT?

  • Fill out the SENSOR HOST REQUEST form.
    • we will email you to confirm your info. We will give you the full project details about what data is collected and how it will be used, and ask you to confirm your interest. 
  • Receive a sensor: Once confirmed we will send you a small sensor and controller about the size of a Raspberry Pi (6cm x 8cm) in a translucent plastic case. When it arrives:
    • place the sensor on a window sill, where it will get light from inside and outside. We ask that you keep it connected and powered on (as best as you can) through June 21st, 2025 (for new sensors), and move it as little as possible.
    • connect it to electric power and wifi : Plug it into electricity. It is powered by a USB 5v connection (like a cell phone). Then connect it to your local wifi network using phone or other computer to input your password. It will come with full instructions, a power cord for your country and on-call help as needed. 
    • Let it run: Once a minute or so it will use a very small amount of wifi data to upload the light color data. If you have extremely limited internet (such as a satellite connection) – let us know so we can give you a low bandwidth version.
  • Share 1 minute of sound once per month. We also ask willing participants to share one minute of sound, once per month, responding to the prompt: What is the sound of home? Cell phone recordings are fine. We will have a special link on this site so you can upload them directly from your phone. 
  • Keep the sensor and continue the network: At the end of the project you can keep the sensor – we hope you will find it useful!
  • UPDATE – MARCH 2024– We have been able to confirm funding to keep the network in operation through June 2025 as a platform for artists working on IOT projects using environmental data and welcome interest and support for that, as well as interest in extending its life and reach.