walking machine is a wearable sound piece that enables users to move through the city hearing the amplified sound of their own footsteps in real-time. Each machine consists of microphones modified to clip to low-cut shoes, a hand held amplifier and a set of headphones. By broadcasting the sound of his or her own motion and gesture, the wearer becomes controller, performer and audience — participants are able to drift through cities with a heightened tactile awareness, stomping on sewer grates, gliding through grass, splashing in puddles and jumping on garbage cans. The effect is that of a private game in public space, where the simple act of walking becomes embodied listening, gestural interaction becomes a means of articulating presence, and playful interaction is both legitimized and liberated through technology. The project is included in Acoustic Territories: Sound Culture and Everyday Life by Brandon LaBelle, and in Locus Sonus: 10 ans d’expérimentation en art sonore. walking machine was produced through the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council.