Deep Research + Final Project Idea

Inspiration

“A Moment of Silence” by Marina Abramovic

Here the artist just sits there and watches the other person who sits across her. Now one might think that this is barely an artwork. And yet, so many people came to see her and so many people had moving experiences. I think it is because people hunger and yearn for any connection because they are just that lonely and Marina Abramovic provided that.

Her artwork proves just how lonely people are in today’s modern society.

Definition

Loneliness is defined as being in a state of isolation. You don’t have to be alone to feel lonely. You can be in a room full of people and still feel like no one cares about you or that no one understands you. It is when a person feel hopelessly detached from their environment and feel that their relationships have no meaning.

Context

Humanity is the loneliest it has ever been despite technology allowing us to be more interconnected than ever before.
One theory for this is that we are substituting physical social interactions with online social interactions and online social interactions do not serve as a whole substitute even though it feels like it.
Whatever the reason, it is undeniable that people feel lonely.
And this is a problem that people are starting to see around the world.

Loneliness is an epidemic

Loneliness increases your chances of dying by 45% (increased alcohol consumption increases it by 30%)
Loneliness is as risky to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
In 2018, the UK appointed a loneliness minister
In 2015, the number of hikikomories in Japan between the ages of 15 and 30 was 540000. In 2018,the government realised that 1.55 million people in Japan are on the verge of becoming hikikomories.
46% of Americans feel lonely and young adults are the hardest hit.
47000 Elderly Singaporeans live alone.
Elderly suicides in Singapore increased by 123% in 2017 as compared to 2011 at a 129 last year.

Existing Products

Anti-Lonely Chair, designed by UniCare in Tokyo
Meant for old people
can remind people to take their medicine
There is a wheel chair person
costs 46000 yen or S$581

Idea

To create a device to help with the performance of Tarot card readings.

Why Tarot Cards?

People turn to tarot cards and horoscopes because it makes them feel like someone understands them.
That the universe understands them and thus they have a space in this universe.
To me the act of tarot card readings is a performance.
What you do here is to act in a way such that the other person would most believe you
And in that moment you connect to the audience. You try to put up a performance where their question is being answered by the universe. That they are the most important thing at that moment.
And when they feel like they are being understood, they wont feel as isolated.

What exactly is my idea

To create a pillow that can be hugged by the participant which measures pressure and the user’s heart rate. This data is then translated visually to a “crystal ball” like device that can be interpreted by the reader.

Technology to be included

Pressure sensor : to measure how tightly the participant is hugging the pillow. This gives a sense of the participants mood, if they are feeling nervous or anxious .

Heart rate sensor: to measure the person’s heart rate

Touch sensor: Similar to my anxiety wrist band, this is meant to detect if the participant is rubbing anxiously.

A lot of LEDs: for the visualization of all the data.

Wifi Module : to transfer data to the arduino

Projector & Processing: Also for visualisation of the data.

Form

Material : Satin to fit with the room

Form: Flowers to once again fit with the room.

Linking it with Interactive Spaces

This idea can also work together with my interactive spaces project where I created a white room made out of cloth. This room will then be integrated with LED lights.
I can then make the room also react to the participant.

Aim of this artwork

To create a device that help with the tarot card performance
To create a performance where the participant feels like they are being seen and understood by you and by the universe to dispel for a moment, any feeling of being isolated.

Things to do and complete:

So we have about four weeks to do this.

Week 9: Practice with sensors – Get readings from sensors and hook it up with the “visualiser”

Week 10: Figure out the form of the product, especially the sculptural piece.

Week 11: Finish up the form of the “pillow”

Week 12: Finish up the form of the sculpture. Hook up pillow with room and sculpture.

Reference

https://www.psd.gov.sg/challenge/ideas/trends/trending-the-loneliness-issue

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/social-media-to-blame-for-young-people-feeling-lonelier-10811936