social sqncr is an interactive audio-visual installation that aims to make people more aware of the act of creating their public identity.

To create their ‘identity’, participants use their bodies to physically interact with a pseudo-musical instrument projected in a physical space to create virtual musical creatures based on their movements. The instrument consists of eight zones that participants interact with which influence the shape, movement, and aural properties of the resulting entity.

Once complete, the system captures an image of the participant to attach to the creature which is then set free into an eco-system inhabited by similar entities. The entities react to one another, much like human beings in a social network. Participants can cause environmental disturbances by physically interacting with the projection.

The physical movements required of participants ensures a high level of investment in the process, causing a heightened awareness of their creation, and thus themselves. Watching their entity interact with other entities is a reflection of their own interaction in their social networks.

SOCIAL SQNCR WEBSITE

Click here to view the embedded video.

Introduction

‘Across the Universe’ is a public space project we (Stephen Varga and me) conducted at Union Square to gain insight on peoples’ behavior when a non-familiar object is installed in a familiar environment, to purposely disrupt normal transition patterns. We also study how a metaphor and a narrative, influences their reactions or choices in interacting with the object.

Post Mortem

This paper describes the motivations and objectives behind the concept and the design process we followed to conceive it.

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Documentation

Here’s you’ll find several PPT presentations, videos and pictures that document the entire design process.

• Initial Observations of the space
• Initial Prototypes
• Revised Prototypes
• Final Concept
• Final Presentation

Images

Videos

First Prototype

Second Prototype

Final Prototype