Pictured is one of several located in our lab.
An oscilloscope is an instrument that graphically displays voltage electrical signals and shows how those signals change over time. It measures these signals by connecting with a sensor, which is a device that creates an electrical signal in response to physical stimuli like sound, light, and heat. For instance, a microphone is a sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. They are often used when designing, manufacturing, or repairing electronic equipment. Engineers use an oscilloscope to measure electrical phenomena and solve measurement challenges quickly and accurately to verify their designs or confirm that a sensor is working properly.
Here at the lab, we use older CRT versions of the devices to display music in ways not often seen before. Oscilloscope Music is audiovisual music, where the visuals are drawn by the sound. In order to get the closest possible correlation between image and sound, the exact same signal that is connected to the left and right speakers is also connected to an analog oscilloscope’s X and Y inputs, producing complex Lissajous images. For the past 10 years, Jerobeam Fenderson and Hansi3D have been creating Oscilloscope Music and techniques in the largely uncharted field of audiovisual music. You can find more about Oscilloscope Music here.
If you’re interested in the Oscilloscope in particular, come to the lab and ask for Kyle. Several of our researchers also generally know how to turn it on and focus it, so if you simply want it on, feel free to ask!
– Originally written by Kylie Franks.