An interactive installation which uses realtime heartrate data in a live session with a group to encourage synchronisation between them.
Take a seat and put the heartrate sensor on your earlobe, the lights dim and you see your heartbeat projected around you. You are guided in a breathing pattern, after a while you become calmer and notice the present moment. The individual heartbeats merge together, the visual starts to represent the groups synchronisation data. The more the group is synchronised the complexer the visuals become. Just how through evolution life becomes more and more complex over time until we unite in one light.
Visuals
The visuals were created together with Mark and where inspired by Cymatics patterns in water. Cymatics is the study of sound and vibration made visible, typically on the surface of a plate (for example the Chladni Plate). Years ago I found the work by photographer Alexander Lauterwasser who was in turn inspired by Ernst Chladni. Especially the image below fascinated me to no ends, it resembles the pattern of a sunflower.
Also the interference pattern which forms when waves meet each other. Photographer Berenice Abbott photographs this
phenomenon in water.
Heartsynchronisation
Our heart rhythm is continuous, the time intervals between heartbeats change constantly. We call this heart rate variability (HRV). Your heart rate is sensitive to emotional changes, so you can read your psychological state from your heart rhythm. Through intention and breathing techniques, you can change and even train having a more coherent HRV score. As humans, we have the possibility to synchronise various physiological rhythms in our body with each other. This is paired with a feeling of connection, so if we can increase our connection with each other, the possibility to synchronise is bigger.
Research on heartsynchronisation and group coherence by the HeartMath Institute.
Creative programming by Mark van de Korput
Thanks to the Effenaar, Julika Marijn (voice-over), Alex Surugiu and Martijn Disbergen for filming.
Visuals and interaction made with Touchdesigner
Sensor input made possible with Arduino
Also check out HEARTSYNC in Carré & HEARTSYNC v.1
