Following the previously considerably successful Amigara Box with its focus on inflicting pain to cause pressure and discomfort, I would like to further the experience of going through pressure.

Being a physical tunnel, I am in lacking of resources and space to create a longer tunnel, or one that has even more items inside. Hence, I decided that instead of lengthening the experience, I will focus on amplifying the journey experienced in the tunnel.

To do this. I will focus on the

5 SENSES.

Reviewing my previous project, I blinded the participant, and made them go through pain when they are poked by the barbs. In this sense, I have covered sight and touch, and I will retain these qualities with further additions. What I am left with sound, taste and smell.

With the little time left, there are several ideas I have in my head. I don’t know if I am able to achieve all of these within the month I have left, but I would hope to achieve at least most of it in one way or another.

SIGHT:

BLINDFOLD |

The participant will remain blindfolded until they have completed their journey in the tunnel, as it messes with their perceptions quite effectively. Teehee.

TOUCH:

STRINGY SUBSTANCES |

I intend to add more annoying substances such as a glue gun’s stringy webs, threads and a cushioned ground to create instability when travelling through the tunnel, which can put one off their mental and physical balance.

VIBRATION MODULES|

Furthermore, I intend to use a buzzer module or vibration module along with a RFID scanner. The participant will wear a strap on with a vibration module attached to it. The vibrations will start when they enter the experience. The longer they stay in the tunnel, the more often the vibrations will start to buzz, eventually annoying and alerting the participant like how we get alarmed by the phone alarm triggering off.

RFID TECH|

The only way to stop the buzzing is to get to the end of the tunnel, where there will be an RFID Scanner on the table. At the start of the tunnel, the participant will be given a “Key” to unlock the reason why a painful life can be worth it. This key is the tap-tap thingy for the RFID Scanner. Upon scanning the key fob onto the scanner, the vibrations should stop and provide peace and quiet finally.

TOUCH SENSORS |

If I have more time or if I can work this out, I intend to even put certain touch sensors (or FSR sensors, need see which one is cheaper) at some of the flowers and LED bulbs will be attached to the flowers. Touching these sensors will cause the whole string of LED bulbs (soldered together) to pulse lightly for a while, which will create a more magical effect. The participant can then even lie down on the cushioned ground to rest and enjoy the lights against the flowers in the dark, cosy room.

SOUND:

BLUETOOTH MODULE & RECORDINGS + ULTRASONIC SENSORS |

I intend to include ultrasonic sensors in my project to trigger recordings. Since the tunnel is 4m long, I will put an ultrasonic sensor at every meter of the tunnel. This is linked to an arduino bluetooth module, which will ideally trigger a recording featuring horrible naggings and scoldings (about societal pressure) or just uncomfortable sounds (like screaming, things banging). Each time the ultrasonic sensor detects the person passing by, it will play the recording. At every ultrasonic sensor, it will play a more annoying and loud recording. Alternatively, I will be using bluetooth headphones along with processing for the recordings to work.

If I manage to make it work, the participant will be listening to the recordings via earpiece for a more immersive experience. Otherwise, it will just be played out loud in a speaker… I will see how it goes.

Should my ultrasonic sensors not work together at the same time due to a lack of connectivity or power, I will use only one ultrasonic sensor. This ultrasonic sensor will be placed at the end of the tunnel facing the entrance (hence vertically) instead of horizontally, like I would have placed the 3-4 ultrasonic sensors at.

To stop the recordings, the participant has to reach the end of the tunnel, where there is a table. He will have to reach out to switch the fairy lights on and there will be an ultrasonic sensor attached just before the switch. Once it detects the hand’s presence, it will stop the recordings.

TASTE:

This is often associated with smell, so I will elaborate further under smell.

SMELL:

SMOKE? CANDLES |

Assaulting the sense of smell is something that can be quite sensitive for different people, especially since it is said that taste can be imagined from smell alone. I actually have the idea of utilizing the smell of smoke to generate a panicky feeling, but I realized that it might set off the smoke alarm instead… I will have to see what I can do about how are other ways I can use to generate an unpleasant smell that will not be overly unpleasant.

Other things I will have to think about is how to create reset triggers and stop triggers…

STEPS TO TAKE:

Everything is actually as stated in the picture draft above! But to sum it up:

LED Light Bulbs: To be soldered together in a long strip like fairy lights, and connected to an arduino. We are looking at about 20 bulbs. This will be linked to 3 force sensitive resistors attached to three points throughout the tunnel.

RFID: To be placed on the switch box on the table. The fob will be fashioned into a key to stop the vibration upon tapping. To be linked to a different arduino from the switch box.

Fairy Lights Switch: To be placed in a switch box together with an ultrasonic sensor. Once the ultrasonic sensor detects a distance, it will stop the recording. (I hope there’s a way to name the ultrasonic sensors such that only the fourth one will trigger this effect..) To be operated by an arduino; the same one used for the other ultrasonic sensors.

Ultrasonic Sensors: We are looking at either one OR three depending on which works better! To be operated by the same arduino used for the tabletop arduino. The distance detected will trigger the recordings.

Bluetooth Recordings: Will be triggered as above, but I will use processing to play the music from my laptop, which will be played for the participant via bluetooth headphones. This will minimize wire entanglement.

Vibration Strap: This will be fashioned into a velcro wearable for the participant, either as a chest sash or a belt. The vibration module will be stuck in there. Actually I may do it the other way around where the RFID sensor is on the chest sash instead and the key is on the table in the light box that can be opened after the lightswitch has been switched on.

Digital Materials needed: 

1 Arduino for Chest Sash & RFID (with own power source; maybe powerbank?)

1 Arduino for ultrasonic sensors (linked to laptop)

1 Arduino for LED Bulbs (linked to battery box)

x1 battery box

x20 LED Bulbs with soldering in place

x1 powerbank

x1 laptop

x5 ultrasonic sensors (1 more just in case)

x1 RFID Scanner & Fob

x1 Chest Sash velcroed

x3 breadboards

Sh*t ton of wires and other connective components.

Tunnel Construction: This will be done smarter this time. I will be attaching the barbs and flowers to the metal coils first, and also be attaching the bamboos to the white pillars before leaning them against the corridor’s wall ( will not do against banisters again because it’s pretty dangerous imo).

Most of these arduino technology are things that I am going to work with for the first time and these ideas are pretty wild, so I’m not sure if they will happen. But I will try my best and see what I can do.

Oh boyyy.