AlphaSphere

From 2004 to 2006, AlphaSphere was developed by the Viennese artist and perception researcher sha. as a "Spaceship for Inner Journeys“. The complete concept - consisting of AlphaLounger, AlphaRoom and so-called AlphaProgrammes - is based on an artistic vision: to create a perception ritual, in which all senses get activated and interwoven in a new way.
With AlphaSphere, the artist says that people can disengage from everyday routines and plunge into aesthetic perceptions. In this process deep consciousness levels get activated and conventional experiences of space, time and "me myself" get transcended.
Story of creation
The story of AlphaSphere began with the opening of the worldwide first sound museum. sha. had created a room for the "House of Music" in Vienna, where visitors could hear and feel real sounds from a maternal womb. Children showed amazing reactions, instinctively lying down on the sounding and vibrating floor. Children wanted to experience the sounds with their entire bodies, to grab and grasp them with all their senses, while adults were restrained by a kind of civilisations barrier.
From these observations in the House of Music originated the idea of a cult object that would allow adults as well to plunge into this intense sensorial experience in a "safe" environment. Within two years, sha. and his team of experts at the Vienna Institute of Perception Research developed the AlphaLounger followed by AlphaSphere.
Concept
Increase of perceptual capacity
AlphaSphere is a three-dimensional experience room consisting of sound, light and movement. In the holistic sphere people perceive sound structures and vibrations with their whole bodies - in a combination with a shade of blue, soft warmth and a light swinging movement.
See also: Cave Automatic Virtual Environment
Effect
Most Alpha users report to have experienced one or more of the following states:
* reduction of stress
* enhanced creativity
* widened perception
Areas of application
Interdisciplinary and Cross-sectory
The locations range from private lofts (cult and design object) to public museums (work of art), from luxurious spas (relaxation) to therapy practices (widen perception) and from office (power napping) to church (meditation).
In the Netherlands, AlphaSphere can be found on railway stations because it increases the conductor’s power of concentration and therefore decreases the accident risk.
Awards
International awards for AlphaSphere
* European Spa Award - at its premiere in 2006 in Monaco, AlphaSphere received the highest European Spa Award (presented yearly by the European Spa Association).
* Indian Innovation Award - at the Asia Spa Expo 2007, AlphaSphere was honoured with the “Indian Award for the Most Innovative Product“
* Creative Industries Award - the design and development of AlphaSphere was awarded an innovation grant by the city of Vienna.
Studies
Evidence for the Alpha effect was shown by psychological study at the University of Vienna:
"Pleasant weightlessness, recreative deep relaxation and a plunging into freeing experience worlds are connected with a mild activation of body and mind. After the Alpha-experience people felt relaxed and active at the same time, at a high energy level.”

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