Glowinthedark

Vicarious

Biodata and affective computing for TV

Consultant - MRL Nottingham Uni

2009-12

Vicarious was part of a long standing collaboration with Nottingham University's Mixed Reality Lab and Professor Brendan Walker, scientist, artist and expert in thrill.

Vicarious was a Horizon Digital Economy Research funded project exploring the use of bio-sensing and affective computing for use in television and entertainment. This means we wired people up, try to thrill, shock, scare and excite them and measure and display their reactions as a form of entertainment.

Technology

Python

wxPython

C++

OpenGL

I was a consultant on this project, looking at how bio-data can integrate into television production in two ways. Firstly at a technical production level looking at audio-video-bio streaming data formats, and secondly looking at bio-data as an infomatic narrative element that helps to carry dramatic meaning in television programmes.

I am co-author of a paper The Machine in the Ghost: Augmenting Broadcasting with Biodata given at CHI 2012

The project has included several video productions and live performances using the technology in real production environments, including several thrill experiments at the Mayhem Horror film Festival at Nottingham's Broadway Cinema.

Medical Self Examination Mayhem 2009

Hyperventilation in gasmasks Mayhem 2010

The Experiment explores a haunting Mayhem 2011

The Vicarious codebase is open source and is on github https://github.com/horizon-institute/vicarious