[x-Music Lab 23秋] the umwelt of jellyfish
Abstract
Jellyfish inhabit the world’s oceans and come in various shapes and sizes. They have a simple nervous system and lack complex sensory organs, such as a centralized brain. Instead, they possess a nerve net that allows them to detect changes in their environment. Jellyfish are the simplest living organisms with a complete ring world. Their beautiful biological behaviour is generated by a sophisticated hierarchical neural network. This work mimics the ‘behaviour’ of jellyfish as a real-time music generation system and explores the ‘life’ of jellyfish through sound/image. What is the true nature of the sense of life we feel towards jellyfish?
Introduction
Throughout the semester, I was part of the research project Sonic Rhopalia. The project was aimed to participate in the exhibition ZOU-NO-HANA FUTURESCAPE PROJECT 2023 taking placed on December 8 (Fri) — 10 (Sun) 2023 at ZOU-NO-HANA Terrace, Kanagawa, JAPAN. In parallel, the research project Sonic Rhopalia and the neural network model for jellyfish nerve nets contribute to our comprehension of the origins of nervous systems. The detailed analysis, from single neuron models to the broader understanding of jellyfish locomotion, showcases the complexity and sophistication of jellyfish neural control.
There are few remarkable aspects of the umwelt of jellyfish. Jellyfish have a specialized structure called a statocyst, which helps them sense gravity and maintain proper orientation in the water. This is crucial for their movement and feeding. Second, their touch and contact. While jellyfish lack complex touch receptors, they can respond to physical contact. This is important for their interactions with other organisms, including capturing prey with their tentacles. Thirdly, the temperature sensitivity. Some jellyfish are sensitive to temperature changes in the water. This sensitivity can influence their distribution and movement patterns in the ocean. Understanding the umwelt of jellyfish is essential for comprehending their behavior, ecology, and survival strategies. While they may not have the complex sensory systems found in more advanced organisms, jellyfish have evolved effective mechanisms to navigate and thrive in their underwater environment.
Researches
For this research, we have looked into a book, titled “A Stroll Through the Worlds of Animals and Men: A Picture Book of Invisible Worlds” written by Jakob Johann Freiherr von Uexküll, a Baltic German biologist, that explore the unique perceptions of humans and animals, emphasizing the concept of “Umwelt” — the interconnected worlds of perception and action that form a cohesive whole. The book delves into the relationships between the perceiving subject and its surrounding environment, highlighting how these relationships create a comprehensive and integrated worldview. The book aims to unravel the intricacies of perception, action, and the holistic environments created by the interplay of these elements in both the human and animal worlds.
Key points from the book include:
- Interconnectedness of Perception and Action Worlds: The book discusses the concept of “Umwelt,” where the perceptual world and the world of action are intertwined, forming a unified and complete environment.
- Subject-Object Relations: It emphasizes that the essential relationship is not just the exchange of forces between two objects but the complex interplay between a living subject and its objects, occurring on a different level — near the subject, involving symbols and stimuli.
- Comparative Analysis of Perception: The book employs a comparative approach by examining various animals and humans with different sensory organs. This facilitates a clear understanding of their respective relationships with the surrounding environment.
- Relevance Across Disciplines: The book suggests that this conceptual framework extends beyond the realm of animal perception and can be applied to various fields. It draws parallels with other disciplines such as Edward Relph’s phenomenology of place and Niklas Luhmann’s communication theory, exploring the relationships between subjective worlds, objective realities, and their synthesis.
Exhibition
ZOU-NO-HANA FUTURESCAPE PROJECT 2023
In the exhibition we set a process for detecting the motion of jellyfish using OpenCV and estimating their area.
The steps involved are as follows:
Convert the input image to grayscale using a blue light source.
Apply chroma keying within TouchDesigner (TD) to make the background transparent.
Use OpenCV to split the image into color channels and measure the number of pixels in channels other than the alpha channel.
Calculate the difference in area between several frames to detect pulsation.
Furthermore, the text outlines additional creative elements synchronized with the pulsation:
Sound Production: Utilize MaxMSP to generate sound triggered by the pulsation detection signals from TouchDesigner.
Light Effects: Receive signals from TouchDesigner, including pulsation detection and synchronization information, to control LED par lights through DMX for synchronized light effects.
This process integrates computer vision techniques with sound and light production, creating a multi-sensory experience synchronized with the pulsation of jellyfish.
Analysis
The exploration of jellyfish pulsation unfolds as a harmonious blend of nature and technology, guided by Uexkull’s conceptual framework. Through the creative integration of OpenCV, TouchDesigner, MaxMSP, and DMX, the text transforms jellyfish motion into a captivating multisensory experience, bridging the gap between the biological and the artificial. Jellyfish pulsation, analogous to an exposed circulatory system, becomes a focal point, revealing its intricate dance with the environment and serving various functions in a single pulse. Design considerations take center stage, emphasizing the importance of maximizing asynchronous pulsation acoustically and spatially. The concept of nodes and points adds complexity, urging a delicate balance between randomness and intentional design elements. Cognitive aspects come to the forefront, highlighting the need for structured patterns and associations to engage the audience effectively. Spatial dynamics play a crucial role, guiding the intentional design of the environment to enhance both overview and immersion.
In essence, this experience take us on a journey into the rhythmic world of jellyfish pulsation, where Uexkull’s framework, creative technological applications, and thoughtful design converge to create a symphony that captivates the senses and expands our understanding of the interconnectedness between living organisms and their surroundings.
Conclusion
The collective exploration into the worlds of jellyfish offers a holistic understanding of their existence, from the intricacies of their biology to the creative applications inspired by their behavior. It underscores the interdisciplinary nature of research, where biology, technology, and art converge to unravel the mysteries of the underwater world and create captivating experiences for human observers. I am hoping to further expand my interests in x-Music.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Shinya Fujii of x-Music Lab, Mr. Yuta Uozumi, Mr. Ryoho Kobayashi, and Mr. Kendai Tanaka for their warm guidance and advices that carried our work throughout the production of this work.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Sumida Aquarium, who provided and managed the jellyfish. We were also supported by the Ishii and Ishibashi Fund that offered us funds for further learning opportunities.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the ZOU-NO-HANA FUTURESCAPE PROJECT 2023 that gave us the opportunities to be part of their project. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the members in x-Music and especially the SA, Micheal and Risako Shibata, that managed all the schedules for the members.
Finally, I would like to thank my project members. You have guided me many times, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you all.
Information about the exhibition
ZOU-NO-HANA FUTURESCAPE PROJECT 2023
Project Name:
“Sonic Rhopalia”
Project Background:
In order to exhibit at “ZOU-NO-HANA FUTURESCAPE PROJECT 2023”, we have formed a work production team “ZΩH (zoi)” made up of seven people who loves sound and jellyfish. The project is led by members who’s researching the ecology of jellyfish, and we decided to explore unknown music that applied the biological system of jellyfish. The background of our activities is that we came together around jellyfish in order to create works that transcend the boundaries between jellyfish and humans.
Group Members:
Artist: ZΩH(zoi)/x-Music Lab Shinya Fujii Laboratory (Keio University)
Kenshiro Taira, Sogen Handa, Risako Shibata, Nimisha Anand, Ryotaro Hoshino, Victoria Yuian Maki, Len Matsuda, Kendai Tanaka, Ryoho Kobayashi, Yuta Uozumi, Shinya Fujii
Cooperation Acknowledgments: SUMIDA AQUARIUM, Ishii-Ishibashi Fund
Reference
Uexkull, Jakob F. A Stroll Through the Worlds of Animals and Men. International Universe Press Inc, 1934.
