beto beto べとべと is an interactive sound installation aiming at recreating the auditory experience people have when encountering and interacting with the formless Japanese Yōkai, Betobetosan, who are recognizable only by their telltale sound – the “beto beto” clacking of wooden clogs – and like to prank lone walkers by following behind them.
In Japanese folklore, Yōkai (妖怪, “strange apparition”) are a class of supernatural entities and spirits. The idea of Yokai originates from Japanese Shinto principles, including animism and nature worship, which believe that spiritual entities reside in all natural phenomena and objects. Yōkai were first created to explain supernatural or unaccountable phenomena. Over time, Yōkai evolved into a part of people’s entertainment life, being depicted in manga, illustrations, dramas, and so on. Each Yōkai’s appearance, characteristics, and stories also became standardized.
While visuals about Yōkai are abundant and emphasized all the time, this capstone project focuses on studying the sounds of Yokai. Yokai sounds are significant because they are an important part of people’s encounters with Yokai in folk tales. For some formless Yokai, sound is the only means they have to interact with people. The current way for people to learn Yokai sounds is to read textual descriptions. Since many of the sounds are closely related to Japanese tradition, people who lack knowledge of Japan or experience with similar sounds can hardly have a complete and correct idea of the sounds. Hence, hearing Yokai sounds in person becomes important to understand Yokai and Yokai sounds.
By collecting and analyzing 21 Yokai that make sounds, this project concludes two critical facts about Yokai sounds: Firstly, Yokai make sounds that people are familiar with in their daily lives, such as the sounds of footsteps, sounds of wood cracking, and the sound of waterfalls. Secondly, the reason why people consider the experience of hearing normal sounds supernatural and strange is that they can’t identify the source of the sounds.
To authentically restore the naturalness and ordinariness of Yokai sounds, instead of sound synthesis technologies, the project applies primitive sound-making means to recreate the sounds. With a carefully designed kinetic mechanism using a motor, each sound device can produce the disyllabic sounds of wooden sandals and visually show the movement of walking. The whole installation consists of eight identical sound devices that are placed along a staircase. Computer vision technologies are applied to detect the number of people on the staircase and people’s positions. When one walker is detected, as he/she walks down/up the stairs, sound devices are activated accordingly to create the auditory experience of being followed by the invisible footsteps monster.
The project expands a traditional two-dimensional reading experience of Yokai that relies only on visual sense into a three-dimensional immersive multi-sensory experience. It explores sounds and the relationship between sounds and the environment. By providing a playful interactive sound experience, the project hopes to introduce Yokai to people and bring Yokai to life in a new and fun way.
Tags:#soundinstallation#computervision