2. The main focus of the installation is brain wave
controlled video screening. The data coming
from the sensor is divided into six parts (from
the relaxed to the focused state of attention),
and assigned to six video-loops. The intensity
of the brain waves in the given zones control
the layered and cross-faded alpha channels of
the video-loops. This means that the higher the
intensity of the brainwaves, the more visible the
corresponding video becomes.
The visitor who activates the system needs to be
in a relaxed state with closed eyes (thus gamma
brainwaves reduce, and alpha and beta waves
grow), therefore he/she cannot see the result;
only the visitors standing in front of the screen
can see it. Otherwise, the actuators gamma
waves gain strength.
In the exhibition the spectators will able
to spend different times in different states
according to their ability of isolation from the
outside world.
concept
3. before
I am attending The Doctoral Program (DLA)
of the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts. My
research theme is biosensor based interactive
installations.
Brainwave sensors in the past were not suitable
for exhibition situations because they all needed
sterile environments. Fortunately there are
many affordable and portable tools nowadays,
which are easy to hack.
On the next pages you can see an infographics
about non-invasive biosensors. In this work I
used a hacked brain wave game controller to
control video-loops.
5. nem invazív bioszenzorok a művészetben / non invasive biosensors in ar
ember - számítógép interakció / human - computer interactio
agy brain
s
zemeye
EEG = Elektroenkefalográf / Electroencephalograph
Az agy elektromos változásait a hajas fejbőrre helyezett felszíni elektródák segíségével
érzékelő készülék. EEG measures the electrical activation of the brain. The EEG uses
precious metal electrodes to detect a voltage between at least two electrodes located
on the scalp.
BCI = Brain Computer Interface
Az agy és egy külső eszköz közötti közvetlen kommunikációs csatorna.
BCI is a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device.
verek
n software
6. There is a controller called Mindflex that hacked
with an Arduino Duemilanove to gather the
sensorial data. This controller measures the
user’s brain activity in the frontal lobes. It
processes the frequencies, which represent the
activity status from meditation to attention:
Delta (1-3Hz): sleep
Theta (4-7Hz): relaxed, meditative
Low Alpha (8-9Hz): eyes closed, relaxed
High Alpha (10-12Hz)
Low Beta (13-17Hz): alert, focused
High Beta (18-30Hz)
Low Gamma (31-40Hz): multi-sensory processing
High Gamma (41-50Hz)
Two different programs were used to develop
this work: Arduino and VVVV. The first one reads
the data from the Mindflex through the Arduino
board, and the second one gets these numbers
through the serial port. VVVV also plays the
layered video-loops while the intensity of the
waves control their alpha channels.
The brain activity can be measured in multiple
ranges therefore numerous pictures appear.
Because the data varies person by person
therefore the resulting video loops will be
different.
from: http://frontiernerds.com/brain-hack
hardware & software
7. Instruction
The person who wears the sensor can see the
monitor, but he/she must no sit front of it.
Otherwise if she/he watches the video her/ his
gamma brain waves will gain strength therefore
only one video-loop will play. If she/he closes her/
his eyes and tries to shut out the external world
the resulting video will be more interesting.
The monitor should be more visible to the
audience than to the person who controls the
piece.
exhibition