Connective Tissue

Research

With the combination of in-depth research of how organisms create mutualistic relationships, technology and human interaction, an interactive installation is created. This installation is an expression of a mutualistic relationship between humans and the environment. This installation investigates such expressions by creating phases in which human interaction is limited and controlled in the beginning, but later the form relies solely on human interaction.

Mutualism

This expressive mutualistic relationship is made with TouchDesigner and a kinect sensor. Sensors and visual programming languages were used to achieve an expression of a person’s mutualistic relationship with the environment that surrounds us.

Interaction

The infrared sensors detect movement and allow for a mutualistic relationship to be formed. When a person’s arms are in motion, a form is created. Throughout the different phases of mutualisms, the form is able to– move, change color, expand , contract, evolve and adapt to the human.

Human Interaction Human interaction is an integral component of this proj- ect. The phases of mutualism depict a journey of how human interaction is less eff ective in the beginning, but integral to the form’s survival at the end of the journey. This expression is made possible by the use of Kinect motion sensor technology. More specifi cally, movements made by the user can be broken down into points and vectors. TouchDesigner then recognizes these point and vectors and in-turn, the designer can begin applying particle systems, swarm behaviors and arrayed geometry to the kinetic points. Additionally, the designer can program in, using python, a timer to control how long a particle or geometry may live. In Connective Tissue, the user is able to control color by opening their right palm and closing it, each time the palm is viewed by the motion sensor a color change oc- curs. The color spectrum implemented is controlled by a python script that applies a number to a color. Each time the palm is opened the color spectrum jumps by one. Consequently, the form is now fully controlled by the user. With these emerging technologies the possibilities are endless to how a designer can give control to the user. Giving the user the capacity to design and create for themselves.