Exploration of the sonic potential of the Hewlett-Packard mScape mapping tool. The final piece was demonstrated within the MediaScape conference on the 3rd December 2007 held at HP Labs, Bristol.

Through the use of the MediaScape software platform a circular segment of the city has been transformed into a sonic cyclone. An arced gesture within the playing field causes this giant instrument to audibly alter in pitch and temperament. As the Cyclo-phone gathers pace, an increasing palette of city sound is drawn into the system and begins to oscillate and resonate.

The piece makes use of a unique mapping system that seeks to track a continuous walking gesture. This gesture instigates audible changes to the presented sound field. This is comparable to the operation of a musical instrument: your path within the cyclone recollects the path of performer’s hands or bow upon the body of their instrument.

For Cyclo-Phone the instrument body is the city itself. Hence, a concept and sound palette sympathetic to this environment has been developed. What is created is a unique sonic experience that does not abstract from, but adheres to the urban locale.