eye-gazing 2.0

Shades of Shyness

Björn's ideas on representing shyness makes me wonder how the property of shyness can be explored. How can this interaction of an eye looking away when being looked at become more layered? How can the eye learn to keep our attention while displaying different gradients of shyness?

When does shyness cross over towards flirtation? And how to navigate that without other features of the face? Or what if the eye we looked at is that of an animal? Could intimacy and connection still get build when it is digital? This leads me towards the act of eye-gazing, where usually two people look into each others eyes for a long duration without any communication. No talking, smiling etc. Just looking into the other person's eyes. This can be a quite awkward experience because we are not used to look into each others eye without breaks of looking away. Quite a challenge to getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Building on Bjorn's web-based idea: what if we would take eye-gazing to the digital realm? We all know that looking into each other's eyes at the same time is not an option when doing a online video call. This handy human solved this frustration with video conferencing, see video. I am curious how to expand our connection to other beings.

When not thinking of technical limitations and brainstorming out loud, I wonder what new eyes would emerge when mixing species (human and reptile, fish etc). Thinking of otherworldy magnificent mutant eyes which display shyness. What is needed to build this other reality? How often does the creature need to blink to convey its lively presence? What needs to be animated to build enough attention with us humans, in order to display the property of shyness? Moreover when does this shyness turn into empathy and intimacy with this otherness?

In general a concept becomes interesting to me when it opens up possibilities, instead of having a clear cut pre-determined output. Compelling ideas and experiences leave space for participants to wander into their own imagination, it spark curiosity and questions. When a trait/emotion/expression becomes more than a trick of the inventor, ideas and its implications can stay more wild because it goes beyond the manipulation of the maker. This leaves space for discoveries. Thus when the output is not spelled out from the beginning unexpectedness can seep in the cracks of experience.