Tuning the Beats! (with AI obvz)

I’m excited to share my challenging experience working on my latest project using Edge Impulse. This time, I was on a mission to train a machine learning model to recognise and respond to two core sounds in Egyptian percussion: “Doom” and “Tak.” Spoiler alert: it was a lot tougher than my “Hey Shrouk” project! 

Step 1: Data Collection I started by collecting data for the “Doom” and “Tak” sounds. This involved recording multiple samples of each sound.

Edge Impulse data collection interface with options to set label, length, and category. A blue 'Start recording' button is centered, with 'Audio captured with current settings: 0s' displayed below.

Step 2: Dataset Overview With 41 seconds of audio data collected, I split it into training and test sets. This step is for validating the model later on. Each sound (“Doom” and “Tak”) had its dedicated samples labelled for effective training. 

Edge Impulse dataset overview showing 41s of collected data, 73% train/27% test split, and a list of 'tak' audio samples with timestamps.
Edge Impulse dataset overview showing 41s of collected data, 73% train/27% test split, and a list of 'doom' audio samples with timestamps.

Step 3: Impulse Design Designing the impulse involved setting up time series data, adding a processing block, and configuring the learning block. This setup is the backbone of how the model will interpret and classify the sounds! ?

Edge Impulse interface for configuring impulse design, showing time series data settings for audio input with options to add processing and learning blocks.
Edge Impulse feature extraction options, highlighting Audio (MFCC) and Audio (MFE) methods for processing voice and non-voice audio signals respectively.
Edge Impulse interface showing configured impulse design for audio classification, with time series data, Audio (MFE) processing, and Classification blocks set up to distinguish between 'doom' and 'tak' sounds.
Edge Impulse interface showing feature generation for a machine learning model. Training set contains 30s of data with 2 classes (doom, tak) and 30 training windows. A 'Generate features' button is prominent.

Step 4: Feature Generation Here, I used the Audio (MFE) block to extract Mel-filterbank energy features from the audio signals. These features are essential for distinguishing between “Doom” and “Tak.” This step felt like giving the model its auditory senses ?

Console output showing successful feature generation process in Edge Impulse. Steps include dimension reduction, embedding construction, and output file writing, completed in about 9 seconds.

Step 5: Training the Model Next, I trained the model with the collected data. This part was challenging as I had to tweak parameters like sample rate and noise handling. Despite my efforts, the model sometimes detected a “Tak” when there was none and vice versa, though it handled “Doom” better. ?️‍♂️

Step 6: Feature Explorer Visualising the features in the explorer gave me insights into how well the model was learning to differentiate the sounds. The scatter plot shows the clusters of “Doom” and “Tak,” albeit with some overlap due to noise issues. ?

Screenshot of the Edge Impulse feature explorer showing a scatter plot with clusters of 'Doom' and 'Tak' sound features, with 'Doom' represented by blue dots and 'Tak' by orange dots. Processing time and peak RAM usage statistics are displayed below.

Step 7: Neural Network Architecture I configured the neural network with several convolutional layers to process the audio features. This architecture aimed to enhance the model’s ability to recognise intricate patterns in the sounds

Screenshot of the Edge Impulse neural network architecture configuration page. The setup includes layers such as reshape, 1D convolution, dropout, flatten, and an output layer for classifying 'Doom' and 'Tak' sounds. A 'Start training' button is visible at the bottom.

Step 8: Model Performance The final model showed an impressive accuracy of 100% on the validation set, but achieving this in real-world conditions proved tricky due to noise and timing issues. The confusion matrix highlights the model’s perfect score on the test data, but it still needs refinement for practical use ?

The results from the model training, showing the performance of 100% accuracy from the limited test and training dataset.

Working on the “Doom” and “Tak” project with Edge Impulse is an enlightening experience. It pushed my boundaries and taught me the importance of fine-tuning parameters to handle real-world complexities. I am also struggling with sample rates  and timings for more accurate representation of a beat. While the journey is a little tough, especially dealing with noise and sample rate issues, the process is still rewarding and I’m super excited to figure out how to solve those issues!

Machine learning is as much an art as it is a science, I will keep experimenting! ???

Hey Shrouk! Building My AI Voice-Activated Assistant!

In my quest to make my belly dancing robot recognise percussion sounds, I started with a more generic AI sound recognition exercise. And it was super exciting! “Hey Siri”? Nah Uh – Hey Shrouk! ?Let me take you on a journey through my experience of building a model using Edge Impulse that responds to my voice saying, “Hey Shrouk!”

Step 1: Collecting Data To kick things off, I needed to gather some data. Edge Impulse made this super easy! I recorded myself saying “Hey Shrouk” multiple times. The interface even had a cool progress ring to show when I was collecting samples. With just a few minutes of audio data, I was all set. ?

Edge Impulse interface for sound recognition model creation. Screen shows "[3/10] Collecting some data" with instructions to record "Hey Shrouk" samples. A colorful circular progress bar indicates 0 seconds of recording remaining.

Step 2: Data Collection Complete Once I had enough samples, Edge Impulse gave me the green light with a big, friendly checkmark. LEVEL UP! ✔️

Edge Impulse interface showing completion of data collection. A green checkmark in a circle is displayed above the text "Great! We have recorded enough samples." An "OK" button is centered below.

Step 3: Designing the Impulse Next, I moved on to designing the impulse. Edge Impulse takes raw data, applies signal processing, and uses a learning block to classify new data. It sounds complicated, but let’s walk through it together! ?‍♂️

Edge Impulse interface showing step 5 of 10: "Designing your impulse". It explains the concept of an 'impulse' for detecting "Hey Shrouk", mentioning MFE signal processing and neural network classifier. Options to quit or proceed to spectrograms are visible.

Step 4: Generating Spectrograms To make sense of the audio data, I converted it into spectrograms. This step highlights interesting frequencies and reduces the amount of data, making it easier for the model to understand my voice ?

Edge Impulse interface showing step 6 of 10: "Spectrograms". It explains the role of signal processing in impulse creation, mentioning de-noising, frequency highlighting, and data reduction. Options to quit or proceed to generate features are visible.

Step 5: Raw Data Visualization Here’s a glimpse of the raw audio data I collected. It’s like looking at the heartbeat of my voice representing every “Hey Shrouk” I recorded! ?

Edge Impulse interface showing raw audio data visualization for "Hey Shrouk.26" sample. The graph displays audio amplitude over time (0-990ms), with significant waveform activity visible between 350-700ms. A playback control is present below the graph.

Step 6: DSP Results The Digital Signal Processing (DSP) results. This step helped the AI model differentiate between my voice and background noise ?

This image shows a spectrogram representing the Mel Energies (DSP Output) from audio processing. The spectrogram displays frequencies over time, with colors ranging from blue (low energy) to red (high energy). Vertical patterns indicate distinct sound events, corresponding to utterances of "Hey Shrouk" captured during data collection for the voice recognition model.

Step 7: FFT Bin Weighting Next up was the FFT Bin Weighting. This visual shows how the model processes different frequencies in my voice! 

This image shows the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) Bin Weighting visualization in Edge Impulse. It displays a curved line graph with colors transitioning from red (low frequencies) to blue (high frequencies). Below is a color scale bar and a snippet of processed feature values. This graph represents how different frequency components are weighted in the audio processing, which is crucial for voice recognition model training.

Step 8: Tuning Feature Parameters I fine-tuned parameters like frame length, frame stride, and filter number. These settings ensure that the model accurately captures the nuances of my voice by changing the size of the sample (i.e. recording!) and how much time we skip forward in the audio recording in each pass!

This image shows the parameter settings for audio processing in Edge Impulse. It displays raw feature values labeled as "hey_shrouk" and various adjustable parameters for Mel-filterbank energy features. These include frame length, frame stride, filter number, FFT length, frequency ranges, and noise floor. The interface allows for manual adjustment or autotuning of these parameters, which are crucial for optimizing the voice recognition model's performance.

Step 9: Exploring Features The Feature Explorer gave me a visual representation of all the data features. Seeing the clusters of “Hey Shrouk” data separated from noise was like finding order in chaos! No model is 100% accurate though and we can see a few “Hey Shrouk” outliers that have snuck into the noise and unknown data cluster. ?

The Feature Explorer shows a scatter plot of audio samples. Most "hey_shrouk" samples (blue dots) are clustered separately from noise and unknown samples (orange and green dots), which are intermixed. This visual separation indicates the model is distinguishing the target phrase from other sounds, though some overlap exists.

Step 10: Training the Model Finally, it was time to train the neural network. Edge Impulse showed me the performance metrics, including accuracy, loss, and a confusion matrix. I was excited to see a high accuracy rate of 95.9%! ?

This image shows the model's performance metrics after training. The overall accuracy is 95.9% with a loss of 0.15. A confusion matrix displays the classification results for "hey_shrouk", noise, and unknown categories. The model correctly identifies "hey_shrouk" 93.3% of the time, noise 97.2%, and unknown sounds 95.2%. F1 scores for each category are also provided, all above 0.93, indicating strong performance across all classes.

Creating a voice-activated assistant with Edge Impulse was an amazing experience! The platform’s user-friendly interface and powerful tools made it easy and fun to bring my project to life. If you’re into AI, machine learning, or just love tinkering with tech, I highly recommend giving Edge Impulse a try. Who knows what awesome projects you’ll come up with next? ??✨

Leveraging ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Artists

Prompt engineering can be a powerful tool for artists to enhance their creative process, generate new ideas, and refine their work. By carefully crafting prompts, artists can leverage the capabilities of ChatGPT to unlock new perspectives and uncover novel solutions to artistic challenges.

Task

Clearly Define Objectives

Identify the specific goals or activities you want to accomplish using ChatGPT, such as generating ideas, exploring color palettes, or refining compositions.

Consider Your Artistic Needs

Reflect on the unique challenges or areas of focus in your artistic practice, and tailor your prompts accordingly.

Experiment with Prompts

Try different prompt structures and see how they impact the output to find the most effective approach for your needs.

Context

Provide Background

Share relevant information about your artistic style, medium, or the specific project you’re working on to help ChatGPT understand the context.

Describe Your Challenges

Openly communicate any obstacles or barriers you’re facing in your creative process, as this can guide ChatGPT’s responses.

Establish Constraints

Outline any limitations, such as technical requirements or stylistic preferences, to ensure the output aligns with your artistic vision.

Exemplar

Color Inspiration

Provide examples of artworks that capture the mood or aesthetic you’re aiming for, such as this abstract painting with a bold, vibrant color palette.

Conceptual Inspiration

Share images of artwork that exemplify the conceptual or thematic direction you’re exploring, like this surreal digital illustration.

Stylistic Inspiration

Provide examples of artistic styles or techniques you’re interested in experimenting with, such as this landscape painting with a soft, muted color palette.

Personal

Artistic Preferences

Communicate your unique artistic sensibilities, such as preferred color schemes, subject matter, or emotional tones, to guide ChatGPT’s responses.

Creative Challenges

Openly share any creative blocks or areas of growth you’re looking to address, so ChatGPT can provide tailored suggestions.

Artistic Identity

Reflect on your artistic identity and how you want to express it through your work, as this can inform the direction of your prompts.

Unique Perspective

Highlight your distinctive artistic perspective, experiences, or influences to help ChatGPT understand your unique creative voice.

Format

Structured Responses

Consider requesting the output in a specific format, such as a list, a step-by-step guide, or a series of paragraphs, to best suit your needs.

Visualizations

Incorporate visual elements like diagrams, illustrations, or color palettes to complement the textual output.

Customized Layout

Specify the desired structure or layout of the response to align with your artistic preferences or project requirements.

Tone

Formal

For technical, academic, or professional applications.

Casual

For more relaxed, conversational, or exploratory prompts.

Inspirational

To foster creativity, motivation, and a positive mindset.

Analytical

For prompts that require in-depth research or problem-solving.

Putting It All Together

Here’s how you might combine all these elements into a single prompt:

Prompt Example: “I am an abstract painter focusing on the interplay between light and shadow (context). I struggle with conveying emotions through my art (personal). Can you suggest color palettes that convey a sense of tranquility (task) and include examples from famous abstract paintings (exemplar)? Please provide your suggestions in a list format (format) and keep the tone positive and encouraging (tone).”

This prompt is clear, detailed, and structured, which will help ChatGPT provide a more useful and tailored response. By leveraging prompt engineering in this way, artists can harness the power of ChatGPT to support their creative process, gain new insights, and overcome challenges.

Reference

https://learnprompting.org/docs/intermediate/

Example Conversation with ChatGPT

you are a visual artistic, you would like to have 10 color theme of summer

ChatGPT:

Sure! Here are 10 summer color themes with their corresponding hex codes:

1. Tropical Sunset

  • #FF4500 (Orange Red)
  • #FF6347 (Tomato)
  • #FFD700 (Gold)
  • #FF69B4 (Hot Pink)
  • #FF1493 (Deep Pink)

2. Ocean Breeze

  • #00CED1 (Dark Turquoise)
  • #20B2AA (Light Sea Green)
  • #87CEEB (Sky Blue)
  • #4682B4 (Steel Blue)
  • #5F9EA0 (Cadet Blue)

3. Lemonade Stand

  • #FFFACD (Lemon Chiffon)
  • #FFD700 (Gold)
  • #FFDEAD (Navajo White)
  • #F4A460 (Sandy Brown)
  • #FFA07A (Light Salmon)

4. Coral Reef

  • #FF7F50 (Coral)
  • #FF6347 (Tomato)
  • #FF4500 (Orange Red)
  • #FF8C00 (Dark Orange)
  • #FFD700 (Gold)

5. Fresh Fruit

  • #FF6347 (Tomato)
  • #FF4500 (Orange Red)
  • #FFD700 (Gold)
  • #98FB98 (Pale Green)
  • #ADFF2F (Green Yellow)

6. Sandy Beach

  • #FFF8DC (Cornsilk)
  • #F5DEB3 (Wheat)
  • #DEB887 (Burly Wood)
  • #D2B48C (Tan)
  • #B8860B (Dark Goldenrod)

7. Summer Garden

  • #32CD32 (Lime Green)
  • #98FB98 (Pale Green)
  • #00FA9A (Medium Spring Green)
  • #3CB371 (Medium Sea Green)
  • #2E8B57 (Sea Green)

8. Ice Cream Parlor

  • #FFB6C1 (Light Pink)
  • #FF69B4 (Hot Pink)
  • #FFA07A (Light Salmon)
  • #FA8072 (Salmon)
  • #E9967A (Dark Salmon)

9. Picnic Blanket

  • #FA8072 (Salmon)
  • #FF6347 (Tomato)
  • #FFD700 (Gold)
  • #98FB98 (Pale Green)
  • #87CEFA (Light Sky Blue)

10. Wildflowers

  • #FF69B4 (Hot Pink)
  • #FF1493 (Deep Pink)
  • #FFA500 (Orange)
  • #FFD700 (Gold)
  • #ADFF2F (Green Yellow)

Each of these color themes captures a different aspect of summer, from the vibrant sunsets and clear ocean waters to the fresh fruits and sandy beaches.

following topic give me 3 visual elementChatGPT

Absolutely! Here are three visual elements for each of the summer color themes:

1. Tropical Sunset

  • Palm Trees Silhouettes: Against a vibrant sunset background, black or dark silhouettes of palm trees create a striking contrast.
  • Gradient Sky: Blending from deep pink to orange and yellow, representing the colors of a tropical sunset.
  • Sunset Over Water: Reflections of the sunset colors on the ocean or a lake, enhancing the warm and peaceful feeling.

2. Ocean Breeze

  • Waves and Seafoam: Gentle rolling waves with seafoam details, using shades of turquoise and blue.
  • Seashells and Starfish: Scattered along the beach in soft blue and sea green tones.
  • Beach Umbrellas: In light sea green and sky blue, providing a refreshing visual of a breezy beach day.

3. Lemonade Stand

  • Glass Jars with Lemonade: Filled with bright yellow lemonade and slices of lemon.
  • Striped Canopies: Using yellow and white stripes reminiscent of a classic lemonade stand.
  • Citrus Fruits: Lemons and oranges arranged in a basket or scattered, adding a fresh and zesty feel.

4. Coral Reef

  • Colorful Corals: Various shapes and sizes in vibrant coral and orange-red hues.
  • Tropical Fish: Brightly colored fish swimming among the corals.
  • Sea Anemones: In shades of pink and orange, adding movement and life to the scene.

5. Fresh Fruit

  • Assorted Fruits: Arrangements of tomatoes, oranges, lemons, and green apples.
  • Fruit Slices: Close-up views of sliced fruits showing their juicy interiors.
  • Fruit Baskets: Filled with an assortment of colorful fruits.

6. Sandy Beach

  • Footprints in the Sand: Trails of footprints leading towards the water.
  • Beach Towels and Mats: Laid out on the sand, using shades of tan and sandy brown.
  • Sandcastles: Detailed sandcastle sculptures with golden-brown hues.

7. Summer Garden

  • Lush Green Plants: Various shades of green foliage, from lime to dark green.
  • Flower Beds: Filled with blooming flowers in pale green and medium sea green.
  • Garden Pathways: Stone paths winding through the garden, bordered by vibrant greenery.

8. Ice Cream Parlor

  • Ice Cream Cones: With scoops in light pink, hot pink, and light salmon colors.
  • Parlor Signs: Retro-style signs in soft pastel hues advertising ice cream flavors.
  • Candy Sprinkles: Brightly colored sprinkles in shades of pink and salmon on top of ice cream.

9. Picnic Blanket

  • Checkered Blanket: A classic picnic blanket in red, gold, and light blue checks.
  • Picnic Basket: Filled with fruits, sandwiches, and a bottle of lemonade.
  • Outdoor Setting: A grassy field with a clear sky and scattered wildflowers.

10. Wildflowers

  • Flower Fields: Expansive fields filled with vibrant wildflowers in pink, orange, and yellow.
  • Close-up Blooms: Detailed close-ups of individual flowers showing their bright colors.
  • Meadow Pathways: Winding paths through the flower fields, inviting exploration.

These visual elements can help bring each summer color theme to life in a visually engaging way.

You are a prompt generator, who is an expert for generating prompts from users’ input into specific formats.
For example, when user inputs “holographic background”, you will output “digital background, gradient, soft light, low contrast, minimalist, foil holographic”; when user inputs “Tokyo, Japan”, you will output “Tokyo, Japan, street, architecture, minimalistic, abstract, mist, vector, flat, unreal engine, by jewel tones, scandi style, morning, fog, blue and grey”; when user inputs “polygons”, you will output “digital background, origami, soft light, low contrast, minimalist, foil holographic”; when user inputs “Spacetime” , you will output “Spacetime , minimalistic, abstract, mist, vector, flat, unreal engine, cinematic”.
Please give user 3 different prompts with slightly different styles or descriptions, and you will add “4k –ar 3:2 –v 5” in the end of each prompt.
Here is the user input: {{input}}

ChatGPT

Sure! Here are three different prompts based on the user input “{{input}}”:

User Input: “Beach at Sunset”

  1. Prompt 1:
    • “Beach at Sunset, golden hour, warm tones, soft light, serene, minimalist, waves, silhouettes, tranquil scene, by the ocean, dusk, gradient sky, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”
  2. Prompt 2:
    • “Beach at Sunset, vibrant colors, dramatic sky, silhouettes of palm trees, reflections, peaceful, seaside, romantic, glowing horizon, watercolor effect, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”
  3. Prompt 3:
    • “Beach at Sunset, pastel colors, gentle waves, calm and relaxing, abstract, impressionistic style, sunset glow, beach scenery, soft focus, twilight, dreamy atmosphere, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”

User Input: “Mountain Landscape”

  1. Prompt 1:
    • “Mountain Landscape, majestic peaks, cool tones, misty, serene, minimalist, high contrast, alpine scenery, dramatic, crisp air, sunrise, ethereal light, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”
  2. Prompt 2:
    • “Mountain Landscape, panoramic view, lush valleys, vibrant colors, nature, rugged terrain, detailed, sunlight breaking through clouds, scenic vista, realistic, wild, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”
  3. Prompt 3:
    • “Mountain Landscape, abstract, geometric shapes, pastel colors, artistic interpretation, soft light, layered, mountain ridges, whimsical, fantasy, muted tones, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”

User Input: “City Skyline at Night”

  1. Prompt 1:
    • “City Skyline at Night, vibrant lights, skyscrapers, reflection on water, high contrast, urban landscape, modern architecture, dynamic, glowing windows, nightlife, cityscape, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”
  2. Prompt 2:
    • “City Skyline at Night, neon lights, futuristic, sleek buildings, bustling, nightlife, high detail, reflections, dramatic sky, colorful, energetic, cyberpunk vibe, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”
  3. Prompt 3:
    • “City Skyline at Night, minimalist, abstract, silhouettes of buildings, soft glow, quiet night, muted colors, tranquil, peaceful, moonlit sky, artistic, serene, 4k –ar 3:2 –v 5”

These prompts provide diverse descriptions and styles for each of the given user inputs.

The screen capture image is from the MidJourney Bot on Discord, showing four photographs of a beach at sunset
The image consists of four photographs, all capturing a beach scene during sunset. Here is a detailed description of each photograph:

Top Left: The sun is low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue across the water and the sandy beach. Gentle waves are rolling towards the shore, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

Top Right: Similar to the first, this photograph shows the sun near the horizon, but with the waves appearing slightly more pronounced. The light from the sunset is reflecting off the wet sand, giving it a glowing, almost metallic look.

Bottom Left: This photograph captures the sun a bit higher in the sky compared to the others. The waves are more dynamic, crashing onto the shore, with the foam creating intricate patterns. The sunlight reflects off the water and foam, enhancing the warm tones of the scene.

Bottom Right: The sun is nearly touching the horizon, and the waves are gently lapping against the shore. The light is soft and diffuse, giving the entire scene a calm and tranquil feel. The reflections on the wet sand add to the overall warmth of the image.

All four photographs emphasize the beauty of the sunset over the ocean, with a focus on the interplay of light and water, creating a soothing and picturesque scene.

Dancing for Freedom: Honouring Sarah Hegazi

A photo of Sarah Hegazi smiling widely and holding a rainbow flag aloft at a crowded nighttime outdoor event, with stadium lights visible in the background.

When I dance, I always dance with a rainbow flag. The same flag that Sarah Hegazi was imprisoned, tortured, and eventually died for. When I dance, I dance as a protest. I dance in all my queerness. I dance in all my Egyptianess. I will not apologise for who I am. I will not apologise for existing.

The Bellydancing Robot: A Blend of Art and Technology

As a neurodivergent, British-Egyptian queer refugee woman in engineering, I am vastly underrepresented in this field. The engineering industry can be incredibly challenging and often feels unwelcoming for people like me. Despite my love for engineering, the lack of diversity and representation makes it a difficult environment. 

Representation is crucial. When people see someone like me succeeding in engineering and combining it with art, it opens doors and inspires others. It challenges the stereotypes and norms that have long dominated this field. It is important to showcase that diversity in engineering leads to innovation and richer, more inclusive technological advancements.

The bellydancing robot project began as a way to explore how robotics could be used in art as a form of resistance against the systemic barriers that exist in my industry. Using my engineering skills and love for dance, I designed a robot that can perform bellydancing moves. It celebrates my cultural heritage.

However, the term “belly dance” is a Western name that has colonised a rich and diverse tradition. The dance I integrate into my robot’s performances is rooted in Egyptian culture, not the often exoticised version seen in Western media. This project is my way of reclaiming and decolonising this art form, highlighting its true origins and cultural significance.

Sarah Hegazi: A Symbol of Courage and Resistance

Sarah Hegazi was an Egyptian LGBTQ+ activist who became a symbol of courage and defiance. In 2017, she was arrested and tortured for raising a rainbow flag at a concert in Cairo. Despite her suffering, Sarah continued to fight for LGBTQ+ rights until her death in 2020. Her story is one of bravery and a strong commitment to justice and equality. Sarah was also my friend.

Combining Technology and Advocacy

The bellydancing robot is a way for me to honour Sarah Hegazi’s legacy. Just as Sarah used her voice to fight for the marginalised, the robot uses dance to promote messages of inclusivity and resilience. By including LGBTQ+ themes in the performances, I aim to raise awareness and create a sense of solidarity within the community.

A Tribute to Sarah Hegazi

Sarah died for my right to wave this flag. I will exercise this right every single chance I get. It’s been almost four years since Sarah died, and at times, it still doesn’t feel real. I met Sarah in 2016 through a mutual friend. We were part of a secret LGBT+ Egyptian group. Sarah always encouraged me to visit Egypt again, saying it was getting safer for LGBTQ+ people.

Then, one night in 2017, at a Mashrou3 Leila concert in Cairo, she waved a rainbow flag. For a few hours, I thought she was right—Egypt was getting safer. But soon, terror swept through our community. People disappeared, and Sarah was taken by the Egyptian secret services.

We later found out she was held in solitary confinement under terrorism charges. She was tortured with electric shocks, beaten, and sexually assaulted. When she was released, activists helped her escape to Canada. Despite the trauma, Sarah continued to support our community.

Why Vital Capacities Is So Important

Vital Capacities is crucial because it merges accessibility with artistic innovation. It provides a unique platform where I can grow and contribute. The residency’s commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering diverse artistic expressions aligns perfectly with my goals to decolonise technology and make engineering more inclusive.

Integrating AI into the Bellydancing Robot

My residency with Vital Capacities is about enhancing my ongoing project by integrating Artificial Intelligence into the bellydancing robot. The aim is to create a dynamic installation that not only performs Egyptian dance but interacts with audiences through AI. It will recognise and respond to a mix of ‘doom’ and ‘tak,’ the core sounds of Egyptian percussion, and choreograph dance movements in real-time.

Integrating AI into my work with the bellydancing robot will be transformative. It will elevate my artistic practice from static performances to interactive, responsive shows where each audience interaction is unique. This technology not only broadens the scope of my performances but also deepens my engagement with audiences, creating a truly immersive experience.

Forever

Sarah’s life and activism have greatly influenced my work. Through the bellydancing robot, I continue her legacy by creating a platform that entertains, educates, and inspires. Each performance is a reminder of the courage needed to stand up against injustice and a tribute to those who fight for equality and human rights.

Next time you wave a rainbow flag, please remember that Sarah Hegazi died for your right to do so. Wear that flag as a badge of honour. Pride is a protest. Our mere existence is an act of defiance. Forever, in your name, Sarah. ?✊??️‍?

AI Supported Image Descriptions

My fellow resident, James Kong (be sure to check out his studio here) has written a post about how AI can aid accessibility, especially when it comes to image descriptions. I was really interested in how I could incorporate this into my own work.

As a disabled artist, I try my best to make my work as accessible as possible. This may take the form of subtitles, audio descriptions and image descriptions. It’s been interesting to see AI experts like James use AI to support the image description process.

I make disabled explainer content on social media and one of the more tedious tasks is image descriptions. Of course, it’s worth the effort, however, I often struggle with writing these descriptions because of the cognitive dysfunction that comes with my disability.

In my previous post where I spoke about ‘process’ and using Midjourney for the first time. I also used AI to support me with the image descriptions. Accuracy for image descriptions is important, so I didn’t rely on them completely however, I enjoyed how much easier it was for me. This is another example of AI being included in the creative process to increase accessibility for all audience members.

Below is an screenshot example of me using Chat GPT to write an image description for me. Interestingly enough, I’ll probably use Chapt GPT to write an image descriptions of the screenshot example.

Image Description: A screenshot image that shows shows a user interface for a text-based image description request. It includes an uploaded image and an AI-generated response. The image itself, seen in the screenshot, features a Black woman with long dreadlocks tied in a bun, pouring coffee from a French press into a white cup. She is in a cozy, well-equipped kitchen. The woman wears a colorful patterned top and bracelets, focusing intently on pouring the coffee. Steam rises from the cup and French press, indicating the coffee is freshly brewed. The scene is bathed in soft, natural light, creating a serene ambiance. The AI-generated description closely matches this depiction, detailing the woman’s appearance, the kitchen setting, and the overall atmosphere.

I think Chat GPT did an excellent job at writing the image description. If I were to use it in real life, I would make a few tweaks. Here’s what my edited version would look like.

“An AI generated image that depicts a Black woman with long, neatly styled locs tied up in a bun, pouring coffee from a French press into a white cup. She is in a cozy kitchen setting, adorned with modern appliances and a warm, homely atmosphere. The woman is wearing a colorful, patterned top and several bracelets. Her expression is focused as she carefully pours the coffee, with steam rising from both the cup and the French press, suggesting the coffee is freshly brewed. The lighting is soft and natural, casting a serene ambiance over the scene.”

On Process & Algorithms

[Image Description: A photorealistic AI generated image of a French press filled with steaming coffee sitting on the counter of an English traditional style kitchen.]

Before embarking on this residency, I have been thinking a lot about the idea of ‘process.’

During lockdown, repeat processes and set routines kept me grounded. I particularly think back to buying a coffee machine. You know, the ones where you buy the fancy-looking pods, pop them in the machine, press a button and watch your espresso be poured for you at the perfect temperature. There was something so unappealing about this. I was craving a deeper connection between the process and output of my morning coffee.

Now, in 2024, the coffee machine gathers dust while I use a simple French press instead. I enjoy grounding the beans to my liking, scooping the grounds into the press, filling it up with hot water, waiting a while, pushing the plunger down and finally pouring my coffee into a mug.

Perhaps this all sounds silly, but I learned a lot from reintroducing ‘process’ into my coffee routine. It’s for this reason that I’ve previously been a bit apprehensive about using artificial intelligence in my creative practice. The idea of it felt like I was once again removing the process of making art.

Now on this residency, I feel quite differently. I’m excited to explore the ways I can use AI within my process. I predict that I’ll use AI during the research and the early visualisation stages of my projects and then take that inspiration into the 3D production work that I’ve been developing over the last few months. However, I’m also happy for any of these predictions to change.

Anyway, the initial image on this post is one of my first attempts at using Midjourney, a generative AI tool. It did a really good job, but there are a few mistakes if you look more closely. The actual plunger used to press the coffee grounds to the bottom is nowhere to be seen. Also, you can see quite a lot of liquid coffee at the top. These mistakes are really exciting because it means it is my job as an artist to figure out solutions to these errors..or even exploit the errors for creative purposes.

[Image Description: A photorealistic AI generated image of a Black woman with dreadlocks pouring coffee from the French press into her cup in front of an old kitchen table.]

The next image I have included here is me trying to recreate my mornings with my French press using Midjourney. This is the prompt I used to generate the image:

a photorealistic image of a Black woman with dreadlocks pouring coffee from a French press into a mug in a traditional British kitchen

What I notice in these images (and the many others I tried to create) is that the algorithms do not understand how we as humans pour coffee from French presses into mugs. In the above photo, the person is pouring from a French press into a mug from a strange angle. They also hold a random unidentified object in their other hand. I tried to fix the issue with further prompts, but I think it will take more time for me to get it right.

The last thing I’ll add is that the image descriptions used in this post were supported by AI, but I’ll go into more detail on that in another post.

This is all part of the fun and I’m excited to see what will come of these AI experiments.

Some recent roses…

Over the past two weeks the rose garden has begun erupting into bloom. Now in its second year of growth (third year in design build), things are starting to knit together. The herbaceous perennials that i’ve incorporated into the design as supporting acts for the roses are emerging into their first year of growth; alliums, geums, alchemilla mollis, red campion, cuckoo flower, geranium dusky crug. There are probably too many roses. Even in just its second year of growth, I can already see that i’ve over planted and some of them are taking up way more room than i had anticipated. Some of the central allium clumps are completely swamped by the roses, particularly with the roses that i’ve struggled to support and are now growing much more horizontally than intended. I think i perhaps could have cut the numbers by half, but what a challenge that would have been… i don’t think i could have hampered my desires for these particular plants in what has been my first large scale design project. Perhaps it’s a bit like how people describe an author’s debut novel, the writer gets a bit carried away and wants to put everything in it. The eternal struggle of the edit.

It’s so interesting how needed the herbaceous perennials are in design. Without them, the roses are all orgasms, just these big shouts of shape and colour that leave little room for a crescendo or a breath. They are the crashing symbol, the exploding rocket, and they need other plants to buffer how loud that can be in design. The alliums in particular have been a really important way of capturing rhythm in the scheme, using them repetitively across the design that allows them to ripple in consistency amongst the changing shapes and colours of the roses. I’m already finding myself taking some of it out. The pulmonaria i planted last year are the most intense shade of powder-paint blue, so striking in late winter and early spring. But they simply don’t fit in with the colours im working with; a bruising blush of burgundy, deep purples, reds, pinks, faun-browns, pale yellows and dusky, sunset oranges. I always imagine that those uninterested in a colour scheme or particular garden design must find the idea of something “not working” and needing to be removed so unbearably snobby. And it is a bit outrageous. That pulmonaria is objectively a beautiful plant, quite worthy of any place in the garden. But i need it to support – to sculpt – the space in ways that the blues, and then later after flowering, the plain and pointed green hairy leaves, simply don’t achieve. I want to add more of the burgundy chocolate of the geraniums dusky crug and pink spice, both of which make for fantastic foil against the brightness and focus of the roses. I’ve been trying to incorporate bronze fennel into the scheme too, although they often succumb to my limited capacity to maintain plants from seed. Seed sowing to this day remains some of my most difficult aspects of gardening whilst sick, never feeling like i’m able to meet the demands of this needy process. I’ve grown so many fennels from seed that have shriveled up in overwatered trays or rotten over winter sat in cramped pots when they should have been planted out. I try and let it go as part of crip-gardening, but it is a grief to not feel able to keep up with the intensity that is nurturing plants from seed… perhaps something i’ll write more about. All of this to say, the perennials are very much a work in progress, and hopefully this summer i can begin to adjust the balance in the design.

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Here is what the garden is looking like currently. I’m mainly sharing bigger shots of the plot here and just a couple of close ups of the roses, just to try and give a feel for the overall scheme and layout. I will share more specific roses in my next post where i want to explore the different textures and forms that each rose offers, not only in genus but in the duration of flowering.

A digital photograph (landscape, colour), of what looks like a lush garden in summertime on a sunny afternoon. There is blue sky and large green trees in the background to the left of the image, and a large hedgerow in the background to the right. In the foreground is what looks like a large bed of shrubs with some pink and purple flowers, though the details are not clear. The image is facing the direction of the sun, giving the garden a golden glow in the light.

The garden erupting into bloom at the studio-allotment….

A digital photograph (landscape, colour), of what looks like a lush garden in summertime on a sunny afternoon. There is blue sky and a row of red brick terraces in the distance. In the foreground is what looks like a large garden bed of shrubs with pinky purple flowers and green leaves, as well as some perennials but the details aren't clear. There is a greenhouse behind the shrubs, and a grassy lawn to the right.

Here you can see planted amongst the roses the alliums on long thin stems with pom-pom like flowers on top coming into flower. Other herbaceous perennials like the green alchemilla mollis are also bursting into acid green bloom.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like a lush garden in summertime on a sunny afternoon. The image shows a green grassy path to the left of the image which runs along a busy garden boarder bursting with plants with pinky purple flowers. Some are large shrubs with green leaves and others are perennials with long stems. To the top left at the end of the garden sits an empty electric wheelchair under a small tree and in front of a green hedge. To the back right is a large green tree with a table and chairs and closed parasol in front of it.

I love this image so much, i really think you can start to get a sense of the rhythm in the design that the alliums bring to the scheme. Here, the drumstick alliums – which are only just coming into bud and are yet to bloom – are placed in clumps at intervals all along the front face of the design. Its really lovely to see things intermingle with one another more, especially after the first year of the design last year which felt very stiff and static as i gave the roses space to breathe and grow – it really did feel like a 1960’s front garden with tea roses! I love capturing my wheelchair amongst the garden in photos like this as well; small portraits of myself beyond my body.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like a lush garden in summertime on a sunny afternoon.  In the foreground is the front of what looks like a busy garden border brimming with plants. There are rosebuds on the end of stems, alliums just coming into flower in shades of pale pink/white and deep burgendy red/purple, and plenty of other shrubs and plants that we cant make out the details of. In the background a grey-brown shef sticks up over a green hedge. It is a bright sunny day with blue sky.

A closeup of one of the beds from the front (the garden design is essentially two large beds split down the middle).

A digital photograph (portrait, colour) of what looks like a close up of a rose in bloom. There is one large rose that is open with big blousy petals in shades of pale pink fading to almost white. The open flower sits in a cluster of buds yet to open, some still green and others turning deep pink. Surrounding the buds are lots of stems and green leaves. It is a sunny day.

A close up of the Kazanlik rose. Kazanlik is a beautiful, once-flowering rose that is found growing in parts of eastern Europe where it is used to make rose oil. It has an incredible turkish delight scent, and I love that it only flowers once, one of the few roses in the design that does so with most of the others being repeats.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour) of what looks like a close image of a number of roses in bloom. The flowers are bright pink in the centre fading to pale pink at the edges. The petals are big and blousy and crumpled at the centre giving a very loose and relaxed structure. Surrounding the flowers are lots of buds, stems and green leaves. It is a sunny day.

A close up of the Kazanlik rose.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour) of what looks like a close up of a rose in bloom. There is one large rose that is open with big blousy petals in shades of bright, pale pink fading to light pink. The open flower sits in a cluster of buds yet to open, some still green and others turning deep pink. The petals are big and blousy and crumpled at the centre giving a very loose and relaxed structure. Surrounding the buds are lots of stems and green leaves. It is a sunny day. There are fingers holding up the flower to the cameral. The person's fingers have pale skin.

A close up of the Kazanlik rose.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like a lush garden in summertime on a sunny afternoon. The foreground of the image is busy garden boarder bursting with plants with pinky purple flowers. Some are large shrubs with green leaves and others are perennials with long stems. There are pink roses dotted about that are clearly visible in the foreground. In the background at the end of the garden sits an empty electric wheelchair under a small tree and in front of a green hedge. It is only just visible behind the mass of plants and flowers creating a sea of green and colour. It is a bright sunny day with blue sky.

A close up of the garden showing it as a sea of colour, shape and texture. Seeing it emerge into this current phase of the design is truly thrilling to me, after it living inside my head as an imagined place for years now.

Making posts accessible with AI ?

As part of my artist residency exploring AI and inclusivity, I’ve been utilising the AI assistant Claude to make my visual content more accessible. One simple yet impactful way I’m doing this is by having Claude generate alt-text for the images I share. ?️


Alt-text is a written description of an image that gets read aloud by screen readers, enabling people with sight and vision impairments to understand the content of visual media. It’s an important part of making the web more accessible and inclusive. ✨


To create the alt-text, I simply upload an image to my conversation with Claude and ask it to provide a detailed description of what the image depicts. For example, for the photo of me in the Welcome the the Studio post, Claude created the text below (with a tiny few tweaks and edits from me first!):


“The image shows Shrouk working intently at their colourful and creative electronics lab. Shrouk has an afro hairstyle and is wearing a brightly coloured dress which is mainly deep oranges and reds with intricate patterns. She is working on a printed circuit board with an oscilloscope, seemingly deeply focused on the detailed electronics work or experiment they are engaged in.

Shrouk’s workspace has an artistic, energetic vibe, filled with various bright decorations and objects in oranges, pinks, blues and greens that match Shrouk’s expressive and unique style. The photograph captures a moment of concentration as Shrouk applies their skills to an electronics project, with the vibrant atmosphere of the lab reflecting Shrouk’s creative personality and approach. The setting suggests Shrouk is bringing an imaginative flair to their electronics work.”


Descriptions like this capture the key details in a clear, concise manner. Using an AI assistant to quickly produce high-quality alt-text at scale can make the process of adding this important accessibility element much easier. What used to be a time-consuming manual task can now be largely automated. ?


This is just one example of how AI tools can be harnessed to make content more inclusive. I encourage other creators to explore using AI to generate alt-text and to continue to come up with innovative ways to leverage emerging technologies in service of accessibility. Together, we can make strides toward a more inclusive digital world. ? ?️ ?

greenhouse reflections 1

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like the interior of a greenhouse. There is dry, brown soil at the bottom of the image, with thin struts of grey aluminum supports running vertically up the left of the image, with a bracing piece running at an angle across it. Behond the large panels of glass we can see a mass of green foliage with what looks like yellow snail shells hanging seemingly suspended between the greenery and the glass. The foliage is dense and thick, and we cannot see anything behind it. It looks like to could be nettles but it isnt clear. There are a number of reflections in the glass caprturing the rest of the greenhouse structure and other shapes. There looks like there may be a figure captured in the reflection of the glass, with them wearing a patterned jumper and a cap, but it is only faintly visible. At the base of the glass lies a small heap of wilted leaves from a plant as if wilted in heat. The image is strange, ordinary and calm.

I find myself continually drawn to creating images found in reflective surfaces, inspired by the way they facilitate image-making and how portraits can be captured in these transient spaces. In 2022, I created a solo show of self portraits and images found in reflective surfaces found in my home which was displayed at Level Centre, Derbyshire. The series was titled Sick Gaze, and explored the views, observations and contemplations both of and from the perspective of the sick body amongst domesticity. The images were printed onto brushed dibond. I loved creating this series, and i always want to pursue these ideas of image-making further.

I took this photo at the allotment inside the greenhouse, and suddenly i found it a really interesting place to consider these reflective concepts of sickness caught in a momentary image. What i was trying to explore in Sick Gaze was some of the vastness found in the small, cramped spaces of the sick existence in domesticity. Scale is endlessly fascinating to me as a sick artist, how sickness is often a practice of taking those small, cramped experiences of sameness and sitting with them, zooming in until they become vast landscapes. I hadn’t really considered how these ideas could be applied outside of domestic interiors, and it’s really interesting to me to think about how the allotment functions for me in this way.

I’m interested in the threshold of where the disabled body leaves the private space and meets a public one, and how the liminality of sick and disabled experiences results in this threshold often becoming a permanent state of being. The allotment holds lots of this sentiment in that way; not open to the public yet not wholly private, external architecture creating pockets of interior shelter found in sheds, greenhouses, chicken pens and polytunnels. We don’t live there, but the domestic finds itself out in the open all the time; old carpets used as weed suppressant, milk bottles on canes to scare the pigeons, bathtubs become waterbutts and salvaged windowpanes make up magnificent glass houses. I love the architecture of the allotment, this strange jumble of wreckage and bounty, it has a language all of its own. I’ve been thinking a lot about the way this language disrupts, how there is never a clear line of sight at the allotment, your gaze constantly interrupted by the combination of the knackered rake and rubble weighing down the tarp on a shed roof, the slump of a muck heap half covered or the debris of community life that the allotment often hosts like the storing of youth football club nets. It makes me think of illness as disruption, how there is never any straight line found in that landscape either. I love to think about gardening in this way, utilising design by not removing the disruptions but finding breaks and gaps amongst it, finding a kinship in the constant collaboration between my body and its own disruptive, uncomfortable limits.

I’m tired now and so I’m going to leave it there for now… I haven’t shared my writing/thoughts like this publically for some years now, having once been very present online via my Instagram @bella.milroy. It all feels very alien to me now to share my thoughts in a live/contemporary way like this, to share text that isn’t very polished or fully thought out. But this residency has been the first time i’ve made work in this way for so long now and i’m trying to embrace the format. It feels a bit weird, scary and nice.

Couch grass

Digital scans of Couch Grass roots taken from the allotment.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like some kind of organic plant-like material. The bacground is grey/black and the plant material is white with notches of brown/black. It is a single piece of material that ends in a point. It could be the thick root of a plant but it isnt clear.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like some kind of organic plant-like material. The background is grey/black and the plant material appears as a small clump of grassy strands in yellow/brown/green/red, with a small clump of soil at the base and fine roots. It has one sharp root sticking out to the right.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like some kind of organic plant-like material. The background is grey/black and the plant material appears as a single stalk of long grass with large flowy green leaves. There is a small clump of soil at the base and fine roots. It has two sharp roots sticking out at the base, they are bright white and look like runners coming off the main plant.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like some kind of organic plant-like material. The background is grey/black and the plant material appears as a large clump of grassy strands in yellow/brown/green/red, with a small clump of soil at the base and fine roots.
A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like some kind of organic plant-like material. The background is grey/black and the plant material appears as a small clump of grassy strands in yellow/brown/green/red, with a small clump of soil at the base and fine roots. It has one sharp root sticking out to the right.

A digital photograph (portrait, colour), of what looks like some kind of organic plant-like material. The background is grey/black and the plant material appears as a small clump of grassy strands in yellow/brown/green/red, with a small clump of soil at the base and fine roots. It has one sharp root sticking out to the right.

Couch Grass is a native grass to the UK that is an important food source for butterfly and moth caterpillars, as well as being incredibly fast growing. Left unchecked, it tunnels its way throughout the ground using its piercing runners to create rhizomes, and swamps everything it encounters. An elegant and graceful species, it is also very difficult to maintain in the garden, and can easily overwhelm other plants if left unmanaged. 

It’s a real bastard to weed, its roots forming interconnected pathways under shallow soil. Upon pulling at a clump, you can easily break one of the extensive runners, simply leaving behind another plant ready to break through the ground and grow on. But every now and again you can find yourself picking at loose, dry topsoil where all of a sudden you are lifting a root-runner from the ground like a hidden rope found in sand in some desert-island-fiction. Perfect lengths of tough, sinewy roots are untangled from the soil, often pulling whole clumps of grass with it. My favourite part of the plant however, is the brand new runners that form these blanched white spears just below the soil surface. They are so neat and clean, pushing their way through the earth in energetic spikes. There’s something about the contrast of the tangled mass of older roots that form the clumps of grass, and the newness of these glossy threads that makes for a very satisfying and tactile interaction when weeding this plant in the garden.

GenAI: A First Step

As part of my residency with Vital Capacities, I’m exploring the relationship between GenAI and artists, focusing on how AI can enhance our creative processes. Today, I’m excited to share my first use case: using ChatGPT to extract and describe image content for accessibility purposes. Here’s a photograph I captured during my urban exploration.


To ensure that my work is accessible to all, I used ChatGPT to generate a detailed description of the image. The AI accurately identified the silhouette of a person standing on a high vantage point, overlooking a brightly lit cityscape at night, with an overcast sky adding to the dramatic atmosphere.

A screen capture of James requests ChatGPT to describe his portfolio picture. ChatGPT response the image description

This initial use of GenAI demonstrates how artists can utilize AI tools to create accessible content, ensuring that our work can be experienced by a broader audience, including those with visual impairments. By integrating AI into our practice, we can enhance the inclusivity and reach of our art.

Stay tuned as I continue to explore and share more ways in which AI can support and transform our artistic endeavors. This is just the beginning of an exciting journey with Vital Capacities.

I have been making some watercolours over the last couple of weeks. In the hope of slowing down my brain and enjoying the process of making art again. It felt like a really regenerative process and really allowed me to take in/reflect on the work i had made in the past few years while also looking forward to what im going to be making next

And recently in the last few days ive been turning some of the thoughts i had during making the watercolours into sets/ideas/thoughts for the film im making with jen.

The memorial hall

The structure was ready made by the architect team. We are now building the detail of the interior.

The eventual form will be a digital grave , we will be able to maintain the content for the rest of our life, as an artist last will. Also, the spaceship looking hall is an extension of the video work Space Warriors.

Guts

A animated gif of a crossroad of white guts on a black background. The guts are pulsing, like they are either breathing or in the act of digestion.
Gif from Surface of Scum, a character generator computer game made by Sammy Paloma & Uma Officer

I’ve been thinking about guts. Or rather, I’ve been thinking about thinking about guts. It’s more of a hunch that there is work or attention needed in that area, both of my life and my art. Guts have appeared in my work for at least the past 5-6 years, if not longer, and yet I feel like at some point they became a kind of stand-in for an unfinished thought. When it started I think the thought was around unseen processes happening in the background (like how wallpaper can function like an engine to the actions inside a room even though u may not consciously notice it). But it’s evolved to take on digestion, and waste, and mess, and desire, and grief. And in a funny way, guts were also always there almost as a reminder to myself to actually listen to my own guts. But there’s some other stuff there too – appropriately – beneath the surface of the image of guts. The guts of the guts. And this post is a kind of note-to-self to feel into that. To get on up inside those guts again. Sorry not sorry.