Katakata is presented as a kinetic sound sculpture, inspired by a wooden Jacob’s Ladder toy, controlled using a visitor’s smart phone. A web application allows the user to interact with the kinetic sculpture and manipulate subtle variations of its sound in realtime using orientation data sent from the mobile device to the sculpture itself. Katakata involves the passive spectator becoming an active participant by way of the accelerometer in their phone which is tilted in the same way as they would use a Jacob’s Ladder; the tilting action is used to trigger and shape the sound of the sculpture. The gesture of flipping the phone 180 degrees, to face away from the user, and a minimal interface, effectively distances the user from their phone, and focuses attention back into the installation space. The sculpture uses Max MSP, Arduino and Node.js technologies. Katakata was first shown in the Talbot Rice Gallery in January 2015 as part of the Gap in the Air festival of sonic art.