Experiment - Intimacy without proximity.

Thermal energy / heat is transferred from one location to another by particles bouncing into each other. All matter contains energy. The more energy that is present, the hotter the object will be. With this project I wanted to explore how to extend this process. Where you can be present but distant at the same time / be close to someone without being physically present. This project illustrates physical presence through a heat reactive model. When the sculpture lights up you know that someone is present.

This project builds on the previous body heat experiment and the bilocation - laser cutter experiment. With this experiment the user receives feedback on their actions which results in a more satisfying interaction. They can see the sensor analysing the footage and also see the model light up through a live web camera setup. This project is also more passive in the sense that you don't need to approach the sensor that directly. Just passing by is enough to make the model light up.

In hindsight i wish that i tried to explore the way i presented the feedback a little more. E.g. maybe it would be better to have another projection with the sensor data and the web camera rather than keeping it on a small screen. This way it could be more immersive and I would have more space to play around with.

Another way to do this project would be to have two models in separate locations, where your current presence is added on top of the distant presence. E.g. other people's presence is represented with white light while your local presence is represented by another color. That way your presence can be overlapped at the same time. That way it really gives more of a sense of being "together" in the same location. An alternative way for interactive telecommunication.

With this type of project, I think i should spend the next few weeks deciding on what type of visuals i should use e.g. projection mapping on model / physical computing, sound etc. as well as if it should be two identical models / objects or one big object and one portable etc.

Experiments - Body heat

I don't think this turned out that good as it is not really that clear that it's about transferring / extending your body heat. Seems more like a proximity project. In hindsight i should've projected into the corner and cropped the video in a way that it feels like it fills the entire room (more similar to the second part of the setup video). It doesn't work that well on the pillar. However it was a nice experience to try and set it up. I thought i had thought of everything before projecting, but i should've made it easier to fill the entire surface with one color.

Ended up using the metal frame for the sensor as i think it shows the interaction more clearly. Also the sensor's range is not that far unfortunately.

This was such a quick and dirty setup with acrylic plates i found laying around and tape to hold it all together. With more time i would've laser cut a plate that fit the metal frame and sensor better. Ideally it would be better if i could set it up so that the projection was in one room and the sensor in another. To make it more clear that it is supposed to connect locations together.

This project also lacks feedback on the initial interaction. E.g. when you put your hand on the plate you don't get any feedback about what is happening. It should have another projection near the plate that is either similar to the projection on the other side of the pillar or a view that tells you your body temperature / the temperature that the sensor registers.

Experiment - morphing object

This project is about connecting locations through a physical, network - like object. Given different locations with proximity sensors and webcameras the object will deform when people approach it. Each location corresponds to a point being pulled. This a take on how we're currently always connected through mobile data / internet. Never at one point in our daily lives are we ever truly disconnected from the world around us. The project takes this idea and visualises it.

The nylon experiment works pretty well. With this one i wrapped polystyrene balls with nylon stocking. This one is pretty close to the original sketch, however unfortunately the motor is not strong enough the pull the fabric that much. Also the backside of the "blob" looks pretty bad, you can see the "pin" on the left side sticking out.

What i like about this one is the ambiguity of it. The black fabric masks a lot of the detail which makes it look like just a black blob. Also at times the silhouette reminds me of heads, like it's morphing between different "faces" / pareidolia. However i wish it was more "floaty", not as rigid as it currently is. This could be solved with more motors and more continuous movement.

The submerged condom experiment did not work that well. I tried three times, with different techniques, but i can't make it work properly.

The first time i tried a double wrapped condom with theaded polystyrene balls inside. The problem with this one was that i didn't secure it on the bottom and the condom was floating on the surface of the tank. The second attempt i tried the same just with threads keeping it in place on the bottom as well. However the effects doesn't work that well. The distortion doesn't work that well also the ink keeps leaking into the tank / while hanging it up. As a result the project has a limited timespan.

The third attempt, i tried to use pieces of tape instead of polystyrene balls as i thought maybe they would "seal" the holes when the thread is kept in place. This is not the case, ink is still leaking.

The silicon experiment worked ok. It's super flexible however the motor is still not strong enough to pull it properly. Also the silicon ended up being way too thick. The test run i did just on the side as i had way too much leftover turned out better than the one in the mold. Material looks very nice however.

I could have put way more tension on the material to make it more three dimensional. Right now its more relaxed / "wavey".