The Many Faces of Sound: Where Science, Art and Technology Meet | Le son dans tous ses états : à la croisée de la Science, de l'Art et de la Technologie
Dr. Annaelle Devergnas (Emory University) will present an event at the intersection of sound and neuroscience, while Dr. Gil Weinberg (Georgia Institute of Technology) will introduce his work involving technological innovation and musical creation. Although scientific in its nature, this event is open and accessible to all, regardless of your knowledge on the topic.
About Dr. Annaelle Devergnas presentation: “The sound of your mind”
The brain is composed of billions of neurons that communicate by sending electrical signals. Each time a neuron is activated, it generates changes in the brain's electrical activity. These signals can be recorded using intracranial probes, allowing us to both visualize and listen to neural activity. While the "voice" of each neuron may sound similar, the way they "sing" is unique to their location and state—whether the brain is awake or asleep. In other words, neuronal communication is not encoded in the amplitude of the signal but in its rhythmic patterns. This rhythmic activity is often disrupted in neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy and in some cases, intracranial probes are also used therapeutically to stimulate the brain and restore normal neuronal rhythmicity. An electrophysiologist is trained to identify the location of a probe within the brain simply by listening to neuronal activity. By the end of this presentation, we hope you, too, will be able to recognize the difference between neuronal activity during sleep and wakefulness.
About Gil Weinberg’s presentation:
He will address three main research thrusts that have been instrumental to his work over the last 25 years. The first thrust has been aimed at designing and developing AI driven software and hardware that could empower human agency, creativity, and expression; The second research direction focuses on utilizing AI to revolutionize assistive technology for a wide range of people with different abilities; The third research area addresses the design and creation of new artistic and entertainment experiences using novel performative robotic musicians. Throughout the presentation Gil will refer to the importance of designing and developing creative AI in an ethical, safe, and inclusive manner.
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Dr. Annaelle Devergnas, PhD is an associate professor in the Department of Neurology of Emory University and a researcher at the Emory National Primate Research Center (EPC). She is an electrophysiologist with additional training in cognitive neurology.
Her lab focuses on the electrophysiological pathway of seizures to develop new treatments for epilepsy, such as deep brain stimulation and T-type calcium blocker. She has also developed an interest in comorbidities of seizures (depression, memory impairment and even sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy. The National Institutes of Health and Cure for Epilepsy fund her research into the mechanisms of sleep disorders associated with seizures. Better understanding this relationship may contribute to the treatment of seizure as well as associated sleep disorders.
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Dr. Gil Weinberg is a professor and the founding director of Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology, where he leads the Robotic Musicianship group. His research focuses on developing artificial creativity and musical expression for robots and augmented humans. Among his projects are robotic musicians that create and improvise music in collaboration with humans, and prosthetic robotic arms for amputee musicians. Weinberg presented his work worldwide in venues such as The Kennedy Center, The World Economic Forum, Ars Electronica, Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Museum, SIGGRAPH, TED-Ed, DLD and others. His music was performed with Orchestras such as Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, the National Irish Symphony Orchestra, and the Scottish BBC Symphony while his research has been disseminated through numerous journal articles and patents. Dr. Weinberg received his MS and PhD degrees in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT and his BA from the interdisciplinary program for fostering excellence in Tel Aviv University.
This event will be followed by a light lunch buffet.
This event is made possible by the Office for Science and Technology of the Consulate General of France in Atlanta, Villa Albertine, Emory National Primate Research Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, and hosted by the Alliance Française of Atlanta
