"Exploring and Manipulating the Brain" and "Sonifications from Spacetime"

James Sheridan and Kala Perkins (ANU)

DCS SEMINAR SERIES

DATE: 2005-11-08
TIME: 16:00:00 - 17:00:00
LOCATION: Ian Ross Seminar Room
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ABSTRACT:
James Sheridan - "Exploring and Manipulating the Brain"

The brain is one of the most studied objects of our time and yet we are still a long way from understanding how it works. We know how the low level components of the brain function but we have been unable to pin down things like attention or consciousness. Numerous fields have tried to understand the brain from many different perspectives and using many different tools and techniques. This talk will give an overview of the different methods used to investigate the brain and what they have been used for - The main focus will be on electroencephalograph (EEG) technology and its use's in mediation, therapy, and control.

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Kala Perkins - "Sonifications from Spacetime"

The universe is resonant with sound. Hindu tradition calls it "Bhagavad Gita", the Song of God, or "Nada Brahma", Sound of Cosmos. Now the leading edge of modern astronomy, mapping the histograms of these sonar arabesques, takes us into the data forms of their pulses. Some of our artful astronomers have already sonified selections of these glimpses into the cosmic heartbeat.

In this short presentation we will explore a few of these sojourns and discuss theories and possible applications of these ideas.

BIO:
James Sheridan is currently undertaking a PhD at the Australian National University here in Canberra, where he also completed his honours degree in Information Technology.

His current project is the basis of a new research group formed between the Department of Computer Science, the Center for New Media Arts and the Research School of Biological Sciences.

Kala Perkins, (BA, Psych., MEnvSc., ANU), has spend years travelling the face of the Earth and dipping into the universe to understand how it all works, how and what cosmos is singing, and how humanity and the Earth are creating and dancing to the tunes. Originally from the US, she spent over 12 years in Asia before coming to Australia 10 years ago. She has worked as a counselor, social scientist, teacher of peace education, astronomy and Buddhism, and creative designer with community projects.