Mind Rain & Bamboo Whisper ————Real-time EEG Interactive installation by Huixin Xue

  • Published on 09/04/2026 by xuexue1
EEG interactive installation soundscape

Design & Composition: Huixin Xue; Programming: Shihong Ren; Visual Design: Xiangyu Deng. The work integrates AI-generated music, EEG interaction, and immersive soundscape art. Using bamboo flute timbres as its foundation to create dynamically evolving “digital rainfall,” while real-time adjustments to the rhythm, density, and pitch of raindrops are controlled by the audience’s brainwaves, forming a unique “mind-controlled rain” experience. Each individual’s state subtly shapes the shared environment, much like countless minute changes in nature ultimately define climatic patterns. Through this artistic expression, the work invites audiences to experience the beauty of technology while contemplating the delicate yet profound connection between humanity and nature.

➡️ This talk is part of IRCAM Forum Workshops Hors-les-Murs Tokyo 2026

This project is a real-time interactive art installation based on brain-computer interface technology. Prefrontal EEG signals are acquired and analyzed in real time to extract multiple frequency bands, including α, β, θ, and δ, from which two core control parameters, “focus” and “relaxation,” are generated to drive real-time auditory and visual transformations. The system establishes a cross-platform real-time communication network in which multiple software environments (Cubase, Processing, and TouchDesigner) interact via MIDI and OSC protocols, collaboratively enabling the transduction from neural signals to audiovisual feedback.

EEG data is transmitted to a core algorithm, translating raw voltage values into focus and relaxation indices. These two parameters are mapped to varying auditory and visual dimensions according to the distinct sections of the work. On the sonic level, they influence the number of melodic voices, the density of raindrop samples, and register shifts, among other attributes. On the visual level, they trigger different material forms, modulate element density, movement trajectories, and overall atmosphere. The piece is structured into several passages, each characterized by distinct configurations of audiovisual material and mapping strategies, forming a progressive perceptual arc.

Audiences wear lightweight EEG devices to enter the sound space. When the mind enters deep relaxation, the rain may become soft and lingering, like a gentle drizzle in southern China; when mental activity intensifies, the raindrops may accelerate, even transforming into a sudden downpour. Bamboo flute melodies weave through the soundscape like wind, blurring the boundary between the natural and the surreal.

All EEG data is processed in real time and is not recorded during the performance of the work.