PLAY-SPACE AS A RESEARCH TOOL
Alexandra Niaka (RC202) . Isabella Ong (RC201) . Marianna Chrapana (RC201)
TABLE OF CONTENTS CONCEPT The Viscous Body: Body negotiation with space Biosensing data: Stimuli and inner states
RESEARCH AND EXPLORATIONS 1A Discomfort: Body and physical constraints 1B Collected Data: Data visualisations with Unity3D 2 Affective Systems: Feedback between biosensing and mechanical systems 3A Materiality: Interfacing with the body Jamming experiments Elephant trunk arm Movement control device for the arms 3B Real-time Data: EEG Recordings and visualisations with processing 4A Play: Hacking every day spaces into interactive play-spaces “Don‘t be a couch potato” “Mind your step”
NEXT STEPS ‘Play-space as a research tool’: Combining physical space with neuro data Introducing the role of Observer
APPENDIX BIBLIOGRAPHY
CONCEPT How environmental stimuli are perceived and alter inner states How spaces activate the body and stimulate us to explore
Environmental stimuli
Inner state
Actions
We are interested in creating active relationships between the body and its material environment, through continuous biofeedback between its inner states and the body’s engagement with the physical space
THE VISCOUS BODY : BODY NEGOTIATION WITH SPACE
The body is to be considered as a malleable matter, subjected to changing configurations to ensure that it constantly engages with the space in new ways.
Don’t be a couch potato (2018), Alexandra Niaka, Isabella Ong, Marianna Chrapana
BIOSENSING DATA: STIMULI AND INNER STATES
Biosensing technology is utilised to help us understand how environmental stimuli are perceived and alter our inner states. Electroencephalogram (EEG) headset. Our critique: Emotiv claims to be able to quanity emotions based on brainwave data collected from the headsets. We, instead, are nterested in using the neuro data from the headset as part of a real-time biofeedback loop to alter the behaviour of the body in the physical space.
EEG Headset: Perspective Drawing
RESEARCH & EXPLORATIONS Biosensing Data
Active relationship between body and environment
EEG Headset
Pulse Sensor
pairing with headset and personal computer
Materiality
Discomfort
Play
Affective Systems
Collected Data
Record Real time data
OSC communication
Softness, stiffness
How the body negotiates
Hacking everyday
Feedback loop between
Data visualisation
post-process:
Real time
interfacing with the body
physical constraints
passive movements
biosensing and mechanical system
with Unity 3d
visualisation & manipulation
data visualization
of recorded data with processing
with Unity 3d
Experiment 3A
Experiment 1A
Experiment 2
Experiment 4A
Jamming
Pulse sensor and
Elephant trunk arm
transformable designs
Experiment 1B
Application to the body
Next steps
Play-Space as a Research Tool
Hacking everyday Data Visualisation passive movements
The Observer
Experiment 3B
1A DISCOMFORT: BODY AND PHYSICAL CONSTRAINS
Counterweight Roommate (2011), Alex Schweder La and Ward Shelley
How the body negotiates physical constraints, adapts into new complicities with inanimate objects / another being?
Create new links between body parts and / other bodies / external structures
Rope Dance (2015), Janine Antoni, Anna Halprin, Stephen Petronio
Recreate movements Confront the limitation of its mechanics Find comsplicities with another person through tactile feedback
Improvisation Technologies (1999), William Forsythe
Connecting the body with ropes
ITERATION #1
Person #1 Leg - Structure - Person #2 Leg
ITERATION #2
Person #1 Leg - Person #2 Arm Person #1 Arm - Person #2 Leg
ITERATION #3
Leg - Neck - Leg
ITERATION #4
Arm - Structure - Leg
Your limb is my limb
Shared reflexes
Remapping the body
Adaptability of different bodies
Person #1 Leg - Structure - Person #2 Leg
Person #1 Leg - Person #2 Arm Person #1 Arm - Person #2 Leg
Leg - Neck - Leg
Arm - Structure - Leg
https://vimeo.com/266392854
1B COLLECTED DATA: DATA VISUALISATIONS WITH UNITY3D
Using previously collected EEG values
EEG Headset: Top Elevation
Text File of Collected EEG Data
Importing and translating the numerical values in Unity3D
Digital Visualisation (Unity 3D)
2 AFFECTIVE SYSTEMS: FEEDBACK BETWEEN MECHANICAL AND BIOSENSING SYSTEMS
Position 1
Position 2
Servo Angle: 00
Servo Angle: 100
Pulse Room (2006), Rafael Lozano-Hemmer
Servo Angle: 150
Biofeedback Loop | Translating BioData
HR < 90 BPM
Kinetic Art | Translating movements
HR 90-110 BPM
Pulse Sensor
HR > 110 BPM
Transformable Design
Position 0
Connected (2011), Reuben Margolin Body
Iris Mechanism | Scaling movements
Transformable Design (2013), Ani Liu
Pulse Sensor
Arduino
Servo
Diagram of rope configurations according to body movement and heart rate (HR)
Constructed a kinetic rope installation with an iris mechanism and connected its movement to a heart pulse sensor
Designing the iris mechanism
Diagrams of iris mechanism
Prototype #1
Prototype #2
0 1 2
5
10
20 cm
0 1 2
5
10
20 cm
Exploded isometrics of iris mechanism prototypes
01 2
5
10
20 cm
Isometrics of iris mechanism prototypes
3A MATERIALITY: INTERFACING WITH THE BODY
Jamming as materiality that interfaces with the body Manipulating softness / stiffness by sheet jamming
“JB1.0: Jamming Bodies” (2015), Lucy McRae, Skylar Tibbits and MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab
JamSheets (2014), MIT Media Lab Tangible Media
Jamming experiments
Initial Stiffness
Shaping
Jammed
Released
1. Material / Stuffing
2. 0.18mm PVC / 2mm Foam
3. Plastic Sheet / 2mm Foam
4. Plastic Sheet / Styrofoam balls
https://vimeo.com/266395512
5. Plastic Sheets / Foam + Metal balls
Plastic Sheet / Coffee Powder
Elephant trunk arm
b
b
a
a
c
a pull
c a pull b pull
b pull c pull
Photo of physical model
0 1 2
Isometric of elephant trunk prototype
5
10 cm
Diagram of elephant trunkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movements
c pull
Elephant trunk mechanism as a movement control device for the arms
Diagram of movement configurations
Photos of physical model Isometric of the mechanism
3B REAL-TIME DATA: EEG RECORDINGS AND VISUALISATIONS WITH PROCESSING
Recording of EEG real-time data through MindYour OSCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s software
EEG Headset: Top Elevation
Mind Your OSC interface
OSC communication of Mind Your OSC with Processing Translating the numerical values in Processing
Excitement
Engagement
Frustration Digital Visualisation (Processing)
Meditation / Boredom
Biosensing experiments with the EEG headset
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Excitement
Frustration
Meditation / Boredom
Filmed and recorded an exercise twice : Similar brain wave data across all emotions
Repeated tasks from our first body experiment : Interesting to see brain wave data to complement our qualitative analysis Eyes closed, accomplishing tasks : ‘Frustration’ changes according to difficulty of tasks
Constrained by ropes, accomplishing tasks : ‘Engagement’ peaks and dips with every attempt
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Excitement
Engagement
Frustration
Meditation / Boredom
Unexpected touch : jump in ‘Excitement’ : ‘Engagement’ grows
Eyes closed, sitting : ‘Excitement’ decreases
https://vimeo.com/266462826
4A PLAY: HACKING EVERYDAY SPACES INTO INTERACTIVE PLAY-SPACES
Transform everyday spaces into a ‘playground’ Passive activities (e.g. climbing stairs) made active and more deliberate. ‘Hack’ - hacking the physical space and the movements of the users.
Mind your step (2018), Alexandra Niaka, Isabella Ong, Marianna Chrapana
Ludic Architecture / Architecture of play Context of play as motivation to get people to explore their bodily movements / configurations Universal language of play - participatory nature
Proposal for UN playground (1952), Isamu Noguchi
Spatial elements of play: undulating grounds balance
On Space Time Foam (2013), Tomas Saraceno
Pose Work for Plinths I (1971), Bruce McLean
Active relationship between body and plinths Constant negotiating with the physical Manoeuvres into various configurations
Biocleave House (2008), Arakawa + Gins
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Inter-active laboratory of everyday lifeâ&#x20AC;? (Arakawa and Gins, 2008) Keep people on guard, and in a tentative relationship with their surroundings Made to use their bodies in unexpected ways Go about their daily routines with heightened awareness
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mind your stepâ&#x20AC;?
rotating arm
moving platform
Act of climbing stairs has become so habitual Time-based obstacle that would make people actively aware of their movements Hacked a flight of stairs - installing moving platforms to avoid Each step becomes a deliberate motion - predict and time their next step
Mind your step (2018), Alexandra Niaka, Isabella Ong, Marianna Chrapana
pivot axis
Mind your step (2018), Alexandra Niaka, Isabella Ong, Marianna Chrapana
https://vimeo.com/266394447
Movement Diagrams
Right elevation
Top elevation
Details
012
5
10
20 cm
Right elevation (detail)
t0 Platformsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; movements
t1
t2
Diagram of platformâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movements 0
0.5
1
2 m
Stairs front elevation
“Don’t be a couch potato”
Hack the passive activity of an audience . Made the auditorium seats into a remote control and screened an ‘unwatchable’ movie . Distorting the movie, adding coloured filters, spinning the frames, speeding up / slowing down, inverting the colours . Users have to work together and use their bodies to activate buttons to make the movie ‘watchable’ . Audience has to ‘work’ for the movie
Don’t be a couch potato (2018), Alexandra Niaka, Isabella Ong, Marianna Chrapana
Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a couch potato (2018), Alexandra Niaka, Isabella Ong, Marianna Chrapana
https://vimeo.com/266292600
Circuit diagrams
Spin Off Slow Down ASCII On Rotate Blue On Blue Off ASCII Off ground tapes foil button
Blue On Speed Up Blue Off
screen
Rotate Green On ASCII Off ASCII On Invert Colour Green Off Blue Off Red Off Speed Up Rotate
Axonometric of the circuit (ground tapes - foil buttons)
Using the body to close the electric circuit, thus activating the button
Interaction diagram
blue off
blue on/rotate
green on
red on/spin off
Movement - button activation through different time sections
red off
no action Screen recordings
Drawings
0
0.5
1
2 m
Auditorium front elevation
0
0.5
1
2 m
Auditorium top elevation
NEXT STEPS
Observer AR glasses
EEG data visualisation
EEG headset
Player
Diagram of observerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s augmented space
. Combining physical space with neuro data Continue play-space projects as an investigation of the affective feedback system between body and space by outfitting the physical space with biosensing technology Concept/Interaction diagram
. Introducing the role of Observer Acknowledge the subjectivity of the observer Sees both the physical space and the digital environment, and has control over the behaviour of the play rules
Diagrams of how the observer affects the player - space interaction Virtual Overlay 28
Player
Observer
Physical Play-Space The case of ‘Don’t be a couch potato observer
observer’s action
observer’s action
buttons ground screen player t0
player’s action t1
player’s action: connection of buttons with ground
player’s action t2
observer’s action: change of buttons function
t3
player’s action t4
t5
Time frames of observer and player actions
APPENDIX
OpenFrameworks code for ‘Don’t be a couch potato’
Unity3D code for digital visualisation of collected EEG Data
BIBLIOGRAPHY Alex Schweder and Ward Shelly (2011). Counterweight Roommate [Installation]. Ward Shelly [online].
Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (2006). Pulse Room [Installation]. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer [online].
Available at: http://www.wardshelley.com/counterweight/Tall-Counterweight.jpg [Accessed 24 Apr.
Available at: http://www.lozano-hemmer.com/pulse_room.php [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018].
2018]. Reuben Margolin (2011). Connected [Installation]. Reuben Margolin [online]. Ani Liu (2011). Transformable Design [Models]. Ani Liu [online]. Available at: http://aniliu.
Available at: https://www.reubenmargolin.com/waves/connected [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018].
com/transformable-design-1 [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018]. Tomás Saraceno (2013). On Space Time Foam [Installation]. Tomás Saraceno [online]. Arakawa and Gins (2008). Biocleave House (Lifespan Extending Villa). Reversible Destiny Foundation
Available at: http://tomassaraceno.com/projects/on-space-time-foam [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018].
[online]. Available at: http://www.reversibledestiny.org/architecture/bioscleave-house-lifespanextending-villa [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018].
William Forsythe (1999). Improvisation Technologies A Tool for the Analytical Dance Eye [Video]. Available at: http://www.niea.unsw.edu.au/research/publications/improvisation-technologies-tool-ana-
Bruce McLean (1971). Pose Work for Plinths I [Photographs]. Tate[online]. Available at: http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/mclean-pose-work-for-plinths-i-t03273 [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018]. Isamu Noguchi (1952). Proposal for UN playground [Archival Image]. Isamu Noguchi: A Study of Space. Janine Antoni, Anna Halprin, Stephen Petronio (2015). Rope Dance [Dance]. Janine Antoni [online]. Available at: http://www.janineantoni.net/rope-dance [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018]. Jifei Ou, Lining Yao, Daniel Tauber, Juergen Steimle, Ryuma Niiyama and Hiroshi Ishii (2014). jamSheets [Material Research]. MIT Media Lab Tangible Media Group [online]. Available at: https://tangible.media.mit.edu/project/jamsheets [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018]. Lucy McRae, Skylar Tibbits and MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab (2015). “JB1.0: Jamming Bodies” [Video]. Available at: https://vimeo.com/152903249 [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018].
lytical-danceeye [Accessed 24 Apr. 2018].