DY3CORPIA 

The Program

The user, equipped with an integrated virtual reality (VR) neuroimaging (electroencephalography) headset, enters into a virtual space. Presented with a central translucent head, there are 16 orbs hovering about the floating skull, each corresponding to a sensor on the neuroimaging headset. After a calibration period, the orbs begin to move in synchrony to the user’s real time brain activity, the more active the brain activity underneath the farther the orb is pushed away from the central head. A pink three dimensional gaze vector projects outward from the user, indicating the current location of where unto their eyes converge. The user, upon looking at a particular orb taps into an audio stream representative of the brain activity at that sensor location and a unique text prompt appears above the head, staying on the screen for the user to read. Each text prompt is loosely related to consciousness, as it pertains to the processing in the area of the brain that underlies a given sensor/orb. A number of 3D scanned traditional wooden sculptures litter the background, which have fixation triggered text prompts of their own.

The Developer

A student and researcher at the University of Alberta, Eden Redman has worked with brain computer interfaces since the mid-2010’s and has explored traditional artistic methods for over a decade. This piece is one of his early attempts to technologically mangle the two domains together. He is primarily driven by an interest in understanding the construct of self, in particular its formation and changes across the lifespan.