Using humidity, temperatures and electromagnetic and sonic frequencies that parapsychologists have associated with haunted spaces, Haunt aims at building an environment that feels “haunted”: a non-visual architecture.

A circular chamber was built inside a standard apartment in London. The temperature was approx. 18 degrees celcius and the light level was about 1 lux. An infrasound cabinet and 2 electromagnetic coils provided varying stimuli.

The objective of the experiment was to determine whether infrasonic frequencies and magnetic field fluctuations similar to those found in supposedly “haunted” spaces can elicit physiological or psychological effects similar to those experienced in “hauntings”. Galvanic skin response of the participants was measured and they noted down any unusual phenomena they experienced, marking where these occured, and at what time. Participants were randomly placed in one of 4 groups: those subjected to infrasound, those subjected to magnetic fields, those subjected to both and those subjected to neither.

Responses from participants included a “sense of presence”, “chills on the spine”, “uneasiness in a particular part of the room”, “dizziness”, “glowing ball” hallucinations, seeing flies in the chamber, etc; though it is not clear yet what the causal relationship is since some of these sensations were reported in the chamber when no equipment was switched on. As expected, it appears that belief plays an important role in eliciting “haunt” sensations.

The intention with this project is not to explain haunting phenomena or to debunk popular wisdom with regard to the paranormal. Rather, the intention is to demonstrate how the perceptions of space and objects in space are intricately affected by things we are not immediately conscious of. The work follows on from previous research on the architecture of non-visual environments using sound, smell, electromagnetic and thermal phenomena.

By Usman Haque in collaboration with Professor Chris French (Goldsmiths College Psychology Department).

Related: Haunted pixels.
Other works by Husman Haque: Low Tech Sensors and Actuators, Digital fragrances, Floatables for privacy, Sky Ear.