"E"

Through this project, I have gained a deeper understanding of the word “interaction”: it is not only the operation between human and equipment, but also the deep connection between human and environment, human and self. Reflecting on this process, I believe that future interactive design should not only focus on the realization of technology, but also pay attention to how to trigger the audience's emotional resonance and internal thinking through my interaction work.

In the future, I hope that this work can be utilized in a wider range of spaces, such as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. The core spirit of Olympic Games is an event with unity and peace. I will explore how the audience can change the environment they exist in through their behaviors, such as moving, staying and breathing, so as to achieve certain kind of unintentional interaction. The mist and the change of light and shadow in the stadium may make everyone feel the “blurring of boundaries” psychologically, which is very much in line with the spirit of the Olympic Games that transcends national boundaries. 

Install it secretly; E, Ken Zhang, 2024

Compulsory removal;  E, Ken Zhang, 2024

The interaction in this project is not limited to the viewer and the work, but also extends to the complex relationship between the regulator and the artwork. In order to preserve their own performance and goals, and in order to ensure safety, the regulators intentionally prevented the artwork from appearing in the public-facing space (the main entrance) by making it more difficult to be approved and by citing safety as a reason for preventing the artwork from appearing.

This intervention not only makes the realization of the work a huge challenge, but also exemplifies the interaction between artistic creation and the regulator. To a certain extent, the behavior of the supervisory authority reflects a need to “control” public space, with the intention of preserving public safety and order, but this control may also limit the freedom of artistic creation and the space for expression. This interaction will gradually lead me to think about the relationship between art and social regulation: when an artwork enters a public space, it does not only engage in a dialog with the viewer, but also needs to consider the political climate of the place where it is displayed, and engage in a game of negotiation with external powers.

Code

Processing

import processing.serial.*;

Serial myPort;

//int flameIntensity = 0;

int threshold = 200; 

//float d = 0;

float h = 22;

float s = 230;

float b = 0;

void setup() {

  size(2200, 1200);

  myPort = new Serial(this, "/dev/cu.usbmodem14101", 9600); 

  colorMode(HSB, 360, 255, 255); 

}

void draw() {

  background(0);

  fill(h, s, b);

  //ellipse(width / 2, height / 2, flameIntensity, flameIntensity);

  rect(0, 0, width, height);

}

void serialEvent(Serial p) {

  String arduinoInput = p.readStringUntil('\n');

  if (arduinoInput != null) {

    arduinoInput = trim(arduinoInput);

    float inputValue = int(arduinoInput); 

    println(b);

    if (inputValue != 0) {

      //d += 0.5;  

      b += inputValue/400;

      //flameIntensity = constrain(int(d), 0, width);  

    }

    if (b > threshold) {

      myPort.write('1'); // Send feedback to Arduino

      println('1');

    } else {

      //myPort.write('0');

      //println("0");

    }

  }

}

Arduino

#include <FastLED.h>

#define NUM_LEDS 180

#define DATA_PIN 3

CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS];

int r = 255;

int g = 100;

int b = 50;

float output = 0;

float tmpIndex = 0;

void setup() {

   FastLED.addLeds<NEOPIXEL, DATA_PIN>(leds, NUM_LEDS);

   FastLED.setBrightness(255);

   Serial.begin(9600);

}

void setLEDColor(int index, float rFactor, float gFactor, float bFactor) {

   if (index >= 0 && index < NUM_LEDS) {

       leds[index] = CRGB(r * rFactor, g * gFactor, b * bFactor);

   }

}

void loop() {

 tmpIndex = analogRead(A0)*2;

 output = digitalRead(8)*tmpIndex;

 Serial.println(output);

 //Serial.println(digitalRead(8));

 if (Serial.available() > 0) {

   int center = NUM_LEDS / 2 - 1; //half

   for (int offset = 0; offset <= center; offset++) {

       if (center - offset >= 0) {

           setLEDColor(center - offset, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);

       }

       if (center + offset < NUM_LEDS) {

           setLEDColor(center + offset, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);

       }

       FastLED.show();

       delay(33);

   }

   delay(1000*60*5);

 }

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

     leds[i] = CRGB::Black;

 }

 FastLED.show();

}