New Year Sonosphere Update- Platform Part 2 & Full Assembly

Hello friends, family, volunteers, and cymatic citizens-!

Checking back in here as we have a lot to share and a lot to plan for the future. Two really big goal posts were reached since our last update. First, after a year of engraving the acrylic platform, I finally have fitted it with all 10 transducers! The transducers first had to be attached to their individual acrylic circles.

Resonance is a strong and powerful force- drilling through the main platform to attach them would probably have destroyed the platform after enough use with resonance experiments. Instead, each one is bolted to it's own 1" thick acrylic circle and those are in turn acrylic welded to the main platform. The weld compound is special and it actually chemically merges the 2 surfaces and is not an epoxy/glue. We did epoxy the bolts into the smaller circles as well.

The way we chose to do this was carefully considered and recommended by the Guitammer Company who we purchased the 'Buttkicker' transducers from. These transducers are being fed by a powerful movie theater amplifier which will drive all ten in a series of 'banks'. These will be frequency controlled individually, giving us total freedom to create harmonics, chords, and lots of geometric modes of vibration. We will be collecting data on all of this. These strong 'Buttkicker' shakers will produce a haptic vibration that will result in a cymatic surface on which to sit or lay down. We expect this to produce a very intense and pleasing physical sensation once true resonance is achieved. We are going to try to create a cymatic standing wave in the human body using the whole Sonosphere as a tunable 'instrument' and your body as the vibrating medium. Different masses of different people will effect the outcome of the fundamental resonant frequency needed to achieve this. Initially, our work will be super slow and sensitive- every effort will be made to do these experiments safely, and at low volumes.

The second big goal post we have achieved is finally seeing the FULL ASSEMBLY!!! Last time we posted, we could not fit the Sonosphere in our side cabin workshop like we hoped- the slant of the roof was too steep on one side, and we couldn't fit the copper sphere onto the structure. Instead of finding another workshop, which was proving to be super challenging in this rural area, we ended up having to remove the fireplace, the chimney and the hearth in order to scoot the Sonosphere closer to the wall and beneath the high portion of the ceiling. Now that it's fully assembled, we stand in awe at the pure grandiose magnificence that this machine emanates. Everyone who sees it, is stunned at the potential, its sheer size and beauty. We are so proud to bring this to life! There are, however, as always, some mechanical issues that need to be addressed. The sphere hub is going to need bearings in order to spin with ease. The platform is a bit too big for the frame and wont fit the LED lights that go around the edge. The structure is solid and strong, but it needs leveling. There is much to do, and every revision costs money and time. It is frustrating, but I have the determination to go forward, and the feeling of acceptance, that everything is in it's right and perfect timing.

We are realizing that the flow of timing on this project is really not up to us, but up to the universe at large. We are still finding funding to finish this project as we work out the mechanical kinks and prepare for the costly phase of metal coating, and also finishing the circuits and wiring harnesses for all of the lighting and sound systems.

Thank you to everyone who has signed up as a volunteer and those who have invested time and money in helping us bring this to public. Our patient volunteers and investors will be the first to try this new technology, and report to us how it feels in order to help us make adjustments.

After we have achieved resonance with a sample size of 100 people, we will hopefully be able to extract the linear equation for the relationship between a person's weight (mass and gravity) and the Sonosphere system of resonance. I expect a linear relationship and a 'Sonosphere constant' to emerge from the data but I could be wrong! The data collecting will be an essential part of getting this approved as a possible trusted therapy later on.

The pandemic has given us some interesting challenges with opening up to the public. The Sonosphere will be easily cleaned and disinfected between uses and will also be one of the most amazing experiences you could have while staying 6 ft away from everyone. However, the pandemic is not over, and the majority of the population still do not feel easy about leaving their homes or walking around a city to shop or experience life. It's hard to take a risk in paying a high rent for a showcase space until this pandemic is over.

We have considered buying a building and sharing with some other like minded businesses/art galleries. We have considered taking the Sonosphere on a US Tour when it is completed, stopping at galleries and doing exhibits where we can fit and be celebrated. It's a big undertaking either way and to tour we would need vehicles, and infrastructure to make either of those pathways real.

We will be putting all of our extra resources into this until we reach our goals. With that said, we would really like to call in an angel investor right now to get the Sonosphere finished and begin testing. I will be preparing a pitch deck for this project and hope to attract some more partners in financing and business. If you know of anyone who would be receptive to viewing our pitch on this project, please let us know! Please email Louisa@thesonosphere.com with any leads, it would be very much appreciated. With eyes locked on a sustainable and harmonious future, I am signing off till next update Peace and Love you,

-Louisa Firethorne