The ‘Emotion Light’ was first exhibited at ISEA in August 2009. It is a sculptural light that uses biofeedback technology to visualize the holder’s physiological state. To achieve this, changes in physiological data like GSR (galvanic skin response), heart rate and movement are tracked and translated via code into changes in light patterns.
This artwork avoids the explicitly medical or therapeutic uses of biofeedback technology to explore the less literal complex relationships between sound, colour and bodily response.
The emotion light is wireless and doesn’t show any invasive technologies. The visitor is asked to sit down and listen to an emotive sound sequence whilst he/she can directly see his/her bodily response visualized in the varying hues of the light. This work externalises the internal body: symbolically in terms of the female reproductive organs which are normally hidden from view; and physiologically by visualising the holder’s heart rate and sweatiness (which is obtained from GSR).
Stylized into a quirky portable object, this artwork provides an introspective experience that is embodied but which can also be observed by others in the space. The colour reflects the variations in the holders GSR-level , with the maximum values set at red, and the lowest value set to blue.
Credits: Artist: Adinda van ‘t Klooster (concept, design, original porcelain model, sound design and project management) Hardware design and advice: Ben Knapp, Ken Brown, Marc Boon Software: Robin Price, Vincent Akkermans, Miguel Angel Ortiz-Perez, Nick Ward Rapid Prototyping (advice on design for manufacturing): Alan Stafford, AMAP, University of Sunderland 3d modelling: Neil Milburn, Dave Knapton, AMAP, University of Sunderland Further specialist advice from: Beryl Graham (New Media Curation), Lieselotte van Leeuwen (psychology) and Gilbert Cockton (computing), University of Sunderland
Rapid Prototyped Sculpture, Electronics, LED’s, Arduino micro controller, Copper, Code