Pulse Flow: Exploring Affective Connection Through Sound and Visuals
Author
Liosi, Dimitra
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-12-17
Pages
76
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan en interaktiv installation kan få to personer til at føle sig forbundet uden at bruge ord. I stedet anvendes visuelle og auditive elementer, blandt andet deltagernes egne hjerteslag, så forbindelsen mærkes gennem krop og sanser. Designet bygger på teorier om forbindelse og på strategier som interpersonel afstand (hvordan afstanden mellem kroppe påvirker samspil), følelsesmæssig selvafsløring (at dele personlige signaler som puls) samt fælles oplevelser og leg. Disse greb skulle støtte både selvopmærksomhed og opmærksomhed på den anden. Installationen blev realiseret med Kinect v2 til positionssporing, realtidsmåling af hjerteslag med en ESP32-baseret M5Stack Atom Matrix og en pulssensor, projektioner og TouchDesigner til at samle lyd og billede i realtid. Vi evaluerede løsningen med både tal og fortællinger: et standardiseret brugervenlighedsskema (SUS), data om hvor tæt deltagerne bevægede sig på hinanden og deres puls, samt semistrukturerede interviews. I alt deltog 16 personer i otte par, heraf fire par der kendte hinanden og fire par af fremmede. Resultaterne viser, at installationen kunne formidle en følelse af forbindelse, især gennem det at være i samme situation og gennem nonverbal interaktion. Par der kendte hinanden deltog mere legende og interaktivt, mens fremmede par beskrev oplevelsen som rolig og meditativ og satte pris på den ordløse kommunikation. Der var dog tekniske udfordringer med positionssporing og kalibrering af sensorer. Fremtidigt arbejde vil forbedre interaktiviteten og afhjælpe disse begrænsninger.
This thesis explores how an interactive installation can help two people feel connected without speaking. Instead of words, it uses visual and auditory cues—most notably participants' own heartbeats—so the connection is felt through the body and senses. The design draws on theories of connection and on strategies such as Interpersonal Distance (how physical spacing shapes interaction), Affective Self-Disclosure (sharing personal signals like pulse), and Shared Experiences and Play. These choices were meant to support self-awareness, awareness of the other person, and the emergence of a shared feeling. The installation was built with Kinect v2 for position tracking, real-time heartbeat detection using an ESP32-based M5Stack Atom Matrix and a pulse sensor, projected visuals, and TouchDesigner to synchronize audio and visuals. We evaluated the system with both numbers and narratives: a standard usability questionnaire (SUS), data on how closely participants moved and their heart rates, and semi-structured interviews. Sixteen people took part as eight pairs—four who knew each other and four who did not. Results indicate that the installation mediated a sense of connection, especially through being in the same situation and through nonverbal interaction. Familiar pairs engaged more playfully and interactively, while unfamiliar pairs described the experience as calming and meditative and valued the wordless communication. Some technical issues occurred, including position-tracking glitches and sensor calibration errors. Future work will enhance interactivity and address these limitations.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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