Tag Archives: remote

Telematic Dreaming | Research Critique

February 9, 2017 Yi Xian 4 Comments

A Brief Description

Paul Sermon‘s Telematic Dreaming (1992) is an interactive video installation connecting two separate locations via ISDN video conferencing. A double bed is set up in both spaces for participants to lie on and interact with each other remotely through video projection, cameras and monitors.

Still from 'Telematic Dreaming' (1993) documentation video, V2 October 1993 — Still showing the darker room from ‘Telematic Dreaming’ (1993) documentation video, V2 October 1993

A New Reality and Way of Seeing

The work goes beyond bridging the local and remote, creating a new reality in the third space. Participants are only together in this third space, visible in the monitor or telepresent projected image. Although video-calling is now ubiquitous, Sermon’s work is groundbreaking for its time. It presents the co-creation of narrative and experience through remote interaction in a third space, which has become an integral aspect of today’s Internet.

“And from this ubiquitous state of shared presence we have come to inhabit an entirely new way of seeing via a fracturing of perception.” — Randall Packer, “The Third Space” (2014)

Similarly, Telematic Dreaming alters perception and reality through sensory replacement. As participants lie on the bed and encounter each other as telepresent images, the seeing eye replaces the feeling hand. The third space rejects conventional ideas of time and space, and engenders new modes of navigation, creating a synesthetic experience.

Allowances of the Third Space

The double bed has psychological and cultural associations as an intimate, private space. Sermon subverts this by bringing together strangers who readily share this space and test the limits of this new reality and relationship. Their interactions suggest that people are open to intimacy in the third space and even boldly seek it, perhaps because it is “a space of invention and possibility… where participants might assume their avatar identities”.^[i]

Although the third space has become our reality and can bridge vast cultural and geographical chasms, it nonetheless begs the question: Is it enough? The common expression ‘the human touch’ typically refers to some intangible quality of care and emotion. However, could it be as simple as warm, damp, physical contact?

References

[i] Packer R. “The Third Space,” (2014) in Reportage from the Aesthetic Edge

Final Project, Gallery, My Work

ume | documentation

November 20, 2016 Yi Xian Leave a comment

Prototype documentation for our semester project, ume.

ume are interactive paired devices meant to subtly connect friends, lovers and family in different locations. It was made using Arduinos, LED bulbs, PIR sensors and ultrasonic distance sensors.

Each ume serves as an avatar of the other user. The ume in location A will correspond to the user in location B and vice versa. It aims to subtly capture the presence of each user and provide company and comfort without bombarding the user with too much information. In our era of social media and instant communication, ume aims to take a step back in our how we experience one another’s presence and filter out the buzz.

The ume emulates a flame. When users are closer to the sensor, the flame will burn stronger. When further away, the flame will flicker more and become dimmer. The umes will turn into a warm flame and start rocking gently when it detects motion in the room (e.g. if the user paces around or types on their keyboard). Conversely, when no motion is detected (e.g. user falls asleep or has left) the ume will turn into a cool blue flame and stay still. This alludes to the partner user what their partner is doing at the moment.

Changes since the last update

We attempted to use multilooping and protothreads to execute both the distance sensing and rocking motion at the same time as the latter was slowing down each loop. However, each thread was still waiting for the other and the time saved was marginal. So instead we programmed the distance sensor to take a reading at smaller increments of the motor motion.
We placed the bread board, motor and arduinos into each hamster ball and used long wires to simulate 2 different locations. We added 2 small plates at the side of the PIR sensor to limit its range when detecting motion. In terms of aesthetics, we had to cover up the arduinos, wires etc in the hamster ball as they were rather distracting. So we decided to wrap the ume up in lace to make it more intimate and homely as the ume is meant to be used in a private or home setting. This also helped to disperse the light and create a softer effect. However, this added friction to the base and reduced the rocking motion.
We also added a fade in and fade out effect between the 2 states. This allowed the lights to transition more naturally and we think it helped describe a person’s presence more organically.

General feedback from users

Users often expected that the sensors would affect the ume on the same side. They were also unsure whether they could hold them or move them around.
Users also remarked that they were cute and liked the spherical lace body.

Possible improvements

The ume could reflect more gestures and states of the users other than motion and proximity to enrich the telepresence experience. The challenge is balancing between creating a good organic communication, without sending over too much explicit information and complicating the interaction.
Instead of wrapping the hamster balls in lace, for a 2.0 version we would want to either do a decal or spray on a porous lace pattern which would allow light to pass through yet cover up the technical bits.
Another improvement would be to make it wireless so the interaction would be more tactile and physical. Users could hold onto the ume should they wish to or leave it aside to rock gently.

Part 1 of documentation (interaction / concept):

Part 2 of documentation (technical):

A project by Tania and Yi Xian.

Final Project

ume | project proposal

October 4, 2016 Yi Xian Leave a comment

Updated Monday, 10 Oct 2016*

Context / Rationale
In this modern era, we constantly receive a barrage of information from social media, instant messaging and telecommunication. Ironically, despite having more means of communication and being perpetually ‘online’, we are getting more detached and disconnected from one another. We’re bombarded with information and always aware of what our peers are doing, eating, watching, that the simply being present becomes special. We are trying to create a pure connection which captures the act of ‘just being there’, so people can enjoy the simple and comforting presence of a loved one. In this small subtle way, ume seeks to bridge the psychological and geographical distance between two individuals.

Interaction
ume is an interactive, orb-shaped paired device which seeks to close the physical distance between two kindred souls. It relies on motion and distance sensors as its effector, and rolls around its axis, while giving out a flickering light that emulates flame.

Each ume will be physically separated from the other, and the output effect of each ume will appear on the other opposite pair.

In its default mode, ume glows a dim blue light. The light flickers like a dying flame. When a user comes within the proximity of the PIR sensor, eg. a room, ume will sense the motion in the room and rock gently on its axis, while a singular LED light will switch on, to show that ume is relaying a message/output to the twined ume device. ume will also change its lighting – from dim blue to warm orange.

When the user walks within the line of sight of ume, sensed by the distance sensor, the twined ume then glows brighter, and the closer the distance between ume and the user, the brighter ume glows, and the less it flickers.

However, when the user walks out, and both users are not detected by the motion sensors, ume reverts back to its default dim blue light, and stays stationary.

Form
We wanted to reduce the human form to a simple single unit / single cell representation. Aesthetically, we feel that the circle is the simplest shape, without any external influences (some artists also believe that the point/dot is the simplest form as extending or multiplying a point can create lines, shapes and forms). It’s clean interface also ties in with its sole function – to simply hint at the presence of the other.

It is a metaphor to a pair of eyes – eyes which look, and tells us the knowledge of what is present in our surroundings. Likewise, ume acts as a pair of eyes, and gives us a sense of security in sensing the presence of the other user. It can only function as a part of a pairing.

ume is both an art and design object. It is a planned system for the purpose of resolving a problem – the lack of a deeper communication level. It has been mechanically made, for a particular aim. However, ume does this in a ‘softer’ way, by invoking deeper emotions through a mechanical system. Its simplicity seeks not to superimpose technology over the human feelings, but rather tries to bring it out.

Some scenarios
a) Two friends at home: feel friend’s presence while they do work
b) Two Lovers at home: knowing your partner’s comforting presence on a daily basis
c) Mother and Child at home: bridges the geographical distance and feeling at ease that their family member is safe

Inspiration sources
Initially, we were both interested in the notion of communicating with another, but on a more emotional level. Recalling our previous experiences of having a skype call with our friends, but neither talking, and instead continuing our own activities. Instead of serving its initial function of communication through speech, the call served to give us assurance of another’s presence. Hence, we decided to create a device which would recreate another’s presence, and bring the other comfort through knowing that their partner is present.

Pillow talk (http://www.littleriot.com/pillow-talk/) works on a similar premise through sensing the presence of your loved one digitally. We wanted to create an interactive device that is simple, and similarly clear and straightforward in intention.

Critique and comparison

Similarity: ‘subtle’ output, without much variations in output. Both are fixed/workable only in a specific context.
Difference: ume has greater specificity, and larger range of communication, while trying to maintain the simplicity of Pillow Talk. Instead of mimicking human characteristics (i.e. heartbeat), ume seeks to represent a person’s presence.

Implementation

Technologies we will be using include:

Pyroelectric InfraRed (PIR) motion sensor
Distance sensor
Servo motor
Assorted LED lights

Issues / difficulties we may encounter

Communicating between 2 umes over wireless network
Range and accuracy of the PIR sensor

Timeline

Presentation of work on Nov 18th?
Basic design + all sensors/motors/lights working as intended. Two umes to communicate with the other perfectly.

Documentation of work?

Presentation: real-life demonstration
Two users to be seated on opposite ends of the table, and each user will slowly walk towards ume at two different timings. The opposing ume will thus react accordingly. Each user will be blocked from seeing the other through a high cardboard wall.
Video Documentation:
The interaction and influence ume has on the mood of each person will be filmed, as ume’s priority is to bridge connections between people, and subsequently would be reflected on their mood.

A semester project proposal by Tania and Yi Xian.

The Forge