Bamboo Reflection

EVOLUTION OF THE TIMES WHEN THE TRADITIONAL MATERIALS ENCOUNTER INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY BAMBOO REFLECTION Chen-Wei Chiang / Min-Shiue Wu / Meng-Te Hsieh / Chia-Yu Kao / Chun-Yan Liu, Department of Information Communication, Yuan Ze University. chenwei@sarturn.yzu.edu.tw

Figure 1. Reflection of Bamboo

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

The Reflection of Bamboo combines traditional

Culture, nature and esthetics are related with

materials with interactive technology, analyzing what

experience (Brady, 2003). Bamboos are of notable

the characteristics of the old and new materials are,

economic and cultural significance around the world

as well as how to apply technology to the integration

(Abdul Khalil, Alwani, Islam, Suhaily, Dungani, H’ng

of these materials. Through this installation, we

& Jawaid, 2015). Taiwanese traditional culture and

reconsider the possibility of integrating traditional

technique both represent unique historical

materials with modern technology. Adopting bamboo

significance of ethnics. With the advance of time,

as the main material, this installation raises the spirit

industrial development has caused the decline of

of traditional techniques in a unique way and

many traditional techniques, one of which is the

employs bamboo’s special tenacity. Viewers can

traditional lantern made of bamboo. Traditional

interact with this installation and experience the

materials are replaced gradually. Aside from serving

strength, esthetics and variation in the demonstrated

the purpose of lighting and decoration for traditional

shadow.

festivals, Bamboo lantern plays an important role in

Keywords: Bamboo, traditional technique, interactive installation

Taiwanese cultural inheritance.

The Reflection of Bamboo is an interactive installation with bamboo as the main material.

Extending the features and appearance of traditional bamboo lantern, this work keeps the balance between modernity and tradition. Bamboo possesses

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PRODEEDINGS KSDS2015

firmness and flexibility, as well as the incomparable tenacity with other materials after processing. When the infrared sensor detects a viewer, it will start pulling the fishing line and bending the bamboo, forming a shape of bamboo lantern (Figure. 2).

Meanwhile, the shadow effect of the bent bamboo brings vitality, which makes viewer feel like being in the nature. The new experience with the bamboo as a traditional material may arouse the resonance of viewers with traditional culture and technique, further encouraging more innovative ideas toward the development of traditional culture.

Figure 3. Focus workshop

Figure 2. Lantern-like shape of the installation

In our research, we investigate Taiwanese viewpoints about "Technique of Bamboo" through focus workshop (Figure.3) and expert (Figure.4) interview.

Figure 4. Expert of traditional technique

A youngster aged 20 interviewed thinks that “the future development of traditional techniques lies in their business value in modern era, which may need certain transformation and innovation". Another middle-aged woman says that with her background of growth, she has recognized the value of bamboo since childhood. However, she doesn’t realize the great possibility of creation by bending bamboo until she participates in the workshop. As to the opinion of experts, a creator surnamed Hsu who wins the New Taipei City Chinese Culture and Arts Awards, says that it is critical that the new generation engaged in tradition techniques add values to their works in a new era and consider the futurity of this industry. As a result, this research adopts the ideas and findings from above discussions as the basis of principles on installation designing.

TECHNICAL APPROACH The main technique is detecting body temperature by infrared sensor to drive the installation, and bending bamboo by fishing line and servo motor (Figure. 5) . The bamboo on the installation will be in motion as viewers walk for mutual and instant interaction. For the effects with diverse angles of bamboo curvature, we apply computer software Maestro Control Center in driving the servo motor and adjusting its rotation turns to control different tension of the fishing line. After observing and testing the bamboo, we use various combinations of data written to the microcomputer chip to create tenacious vitality and dynamics of bamboo (Figure.

6). Besides, we integrate modern steels and acrylics with traditional material, projecting the swinging

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PRODEEDINGS KSDS2015

Figure 5. machinery schematic

shadow of bamboo for viewers to enjoy multiple

growth status on the mechanism. It simulates

visual effects and communicate with both new and

bamboo’s appearance in swing and bend in natural

old materials in this work.

environment, showing bamboo’s unique tenacity that enables different curves and shadow effects. Viewers

In the field of interactive installation, creators keep

are expected to enjoy multiple sense of beauty as if

finding the ways to present perfect curves. Curves

they were in a bamboo forest.

line can present various emotions in the design works like sad, powerful, gentle and so on (Poffenberger & Barrows, 1924). In past works, the line can display perfect curves in flat space, yet it cannot create the same effect in three-dimensional space despite the adoption of different materials. For instance, the steel wire is hard to be repristinated once getting deformed. As to the synthetic wooden bar that provides some tenacity, it can be easily broken by stress. In this study, we also try carbon fiber bar.

Although it can show perfect curves with the tension in certain direction, it is apt to get fractured with

Figure 6. Sevo motor, wiring and microcomputer chip.

additional tension in another direction. Therefore, this work refers to the bamboo lantern of traditional technique. We attempt to use bamboo as the material and discover that its strong tenacity can present perfect curves in three-dimensional space. In Reflection of Bamboo, we retain bamboo’s original

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PRODEEDINGS KSDS2015

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK To prevent ancient wisdom from being forgotten in the era of advanced technology, integrating nature with culture is what we have to focus on aside from inheriting traditional techniques. Therefore, in this workshop we discuss how bamboos have been utilized since the ancient times. Participants share their experiences on using bamboos, which commonly play a role in illumination or furniture in

Based on bamboo lanterns, this installation reinterprets the characteristics of bamboo and integrates modern materials through the interactive installation for neoteric visual effect. Its aim is to present the integration of traditional technique and interactive installation, along with bamboo’s vitality and tenacity, and further motivate viewers to rethink the possibility of integrating traditional materials with modern technology.

their daily lives. Despite different experiences, they all mention and emphasize bamboo’s tenacity, for which we conduct an experiment by roasting the bamboo to mold it and enhance its degree of bending to create more plasticity. This workshop intends to encourage further understanding of bamboo’s characteristics for the sake of the proficiency involved in bamboo works.

REFERENCES Brady, E. (2003), Aesthetics of the natural environment. Oxford University Press.

H. P. S. Abdul Khalil, M. S. Alwani, M. N. Islam, S. S. Suhaily, R. Dungani, Y. M. H’ng, M. Jawaid. (2015) 16 – The use of bamboo fibres as reinforcements in composites, Biofiber Reinforcements in Composite Materials, 488 - 524. doi:10.1533/9781782421276.4.488 Poffenberger, A. T., & Barrows, B. E. (1924). The Feeling Value of Lines. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 8, No. 2), 187.

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