If the semantic notations are crucial for communication, then let’s say that a brain-computer interface is a direct technological interface between a brain and a computer , where the word ‘brain’ is understood to imply the physical brain of an organic life form and ‘computer’ is understood to imply a mechanical/technological processing/computational device. Neural impulses in the brain are intercepted and used to control an electronic device not requiring any motor output from the user. And if the debate on the reduction of mind to the physical qualities of the brain is widespread, the electronic sculpture Emotion’s Defibrillator

by Tobias Grewening takes part in it as a brain machine based on the principle of manipulation of consciousness through electronics. Images and sound are reduced to audio visual inputs that interact with the brain causing physiological reactions. The user of the installation, wearing an oxygen mask and a pincer on his left forefinger, puts his head into a sort of sphere. The electric circuit created by this connections activates the device; it is possible to verify the effectiveness of the binaural bits for the synchronization of the brain to a specific frequency. Even if during the twentieth century loads of devices for the brain frequency have been tested, Grewening electronic sculpture includes an original element: the pincer put on the finger is able to give a feedback on the reactions, giving to the Emotion’s Defibrillator an hacking attitude, where, going back to semantics, the word ‘hacking’ means the desire to fully understand something.

Valentina Culatti