The Hairbrain 2000 "helmet" consists of
a welding mask with a viewing compartment
mounted directly in front of the eyes. Inside
this compartment, fuzzy ball-bearings roll
on top of a self-etched electrical circuit.
When the participant moves his or her head,
the bearings make contact with the circuit
etchings, producing sparks and triggering
48 electromechanical relays. The relays
produce clunky clicking sounds controlled
by the participantÍs head movement. Sometimes
technology takes on an extreme form of the
absurd---in this context, virtual reality is
more like ritual virility.
(Laura Kikauka, Funny Farm East,
Gethsemanestr. 8, 10437 Berlin, Germany)
For more images by Laura Kikauka,
see the print journal
L E O N A R D O
Vol. 29, No. 1 (1996),
available from the MIT Press
(journals-orders@mit.edu).
A R T I S T S