This experimental instrument converts Zernike polynomial coefficients into sound, offering an unprecedented way to listen to wavefront optics. Each of the 28 modes (up to the 6th radial order) drives an oscillator whose waveform is derived from the phase map evaluated over the pupil. Patterns that look similar on the phase map can sound very different, while seemingly unrelated aberrations reveal unexpected harmonic relationships: this is not a diagnostic tool, but a different, sensory perception.
Key features
- 28 Zernike modes (up to the 6th order) as real-time audio oscillators
- 4 synthesis engines: additive, waveshaper, FM and spiral pupil sweep
- Zernike pyramid with phase-map previews and a 28-channel mixer
- Stereo separation: sine-symmetric modes (m < 0) on the left, cosine-symmetric (m > 0) on the right
- 8 clinical presets (keratoconus, astigmatism, spherical aberration…) and 8 animated sequences
- 4-voice polyphony, audio/video recording and a bilingual interface (French/English)