Visualization of heart activities

Concept

How can you control your heart and direct it into a certain state?

“Nirvana” in Buddhism means “blowing out the desire (fire) in heart completely” – that is, blowing out the fires of greed, love, hatred, delusion and so on. Nirvana is the ideal state of mind that is free from suffering, and transcends beyond life and death.

This artwork “Nirvana? ” attempts to make “heart activities” visible. The viewer is positioned to experience how sentimental and responsive his or her own heart can be, and to meditate on the question whether Nirvana is possible?

“Nirvana? ” is an interactive installation. The interactive feedback – images of fire will be reflected by the changes found in viewer’s heart rate. Through mediation, the viewer experiences how his or her heartbeat can be influenced. As viewer’s real heart activities initiate, a fire of blossom will set off subsequently.

Interaction Design

The participant would enter a serene space. He or she will experience different kinds of natural sounds, for example, wind and rain. Any transition of sound scenarios could affect the participant’s emotion, which will lead to a real-time visual interaction, such as a variety of 12-leveled flames.

Ultra Wide Band Non-Contact Sensor（UWB）will detect and compute the changes of the viewer’s heartbeat in real-time, as well as to alter the reflection of a flame instantly.

Technical Description

“UWB” applies Ultra Wide Band radar technology to measure any small displacement of the chest cavity and can measure heart rate simultaneously.

Heart rate variability is valid for evaluating the status of people’s emotion. In this artwork, the changing rate of each participant’s heartbeat is used for interaction and visualization.

UWB technology uses electromagnetic wave impulses to detect movements and the power of electromagnetic waves are less than 0.1 percent of normal cellular phone. The sensor can be placed at a distance without any contact to its viewer.

Team

Executive Producer: Creativity Lab, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)

Concept / Art Director: Shu-Min Wu

Sound Artist: Fang-Ting Huang

Visual Artists: Cheng-Ya Liu, Ling-Hui Lin, Chih-Haw Huang, Ching-Min Shu

UWB Technical Director: Teh-Ho Tao

Supported by Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan R.O.C.

NIRVANA?

Visualization of heart activities

指導單位：經濟部

創作單位：工業技術研究院

作品概念

「涅槃」出自佛家語，指「止息心中慾火」，完全熄滅心中的貪、嗔、癡…等慾望，超越生與死之最高修為境界。本互動藝術裝置塑造觀眾一個可獨處其中的純淨空間，單單感受大自然風聲、水聲的邅變，讓人去體會自己的內心是如何的澎湃易感。反思：「涅槃」境界是否可得‬

本作品嘗試將「心的活動」視覺化；運用「超寬頻」科技感測觀眾的心跳變化，並以十二種不同層次的火焰大小，將觀眾的心跳變化映射出來。觀眾在此互動藝術中，將可感受到人類「心」的本質，是如何的易感、多情。

互動模式

觀眾在此純淨的空間，唯一的刺激來自自然界的聲響。非接觸式超寬頻感測器（UWB）同步偵測並計算觀眾的心跳，任何參與者被觸發的情緒變化程度，也同時決定視覺上的回饋，即12種不同大小層次的火燄。

科技運用

「超寬頻」指頻寬超過0.5GHz或超過中心頻率的20%。以本作品核心技術之超寬頻感測器而言，中心頻率為5.65GHz，頻寬約為0.6GHz。超寬頻量測技術以脈衝波來偵測，功率較一般連續波技術為低，只有手機之萬分之一，對人體完全無害。所謂的脈衝波，即是信號以毫微秒（nano-second）寬的脈衝在幾個毫秒（micro-second）區間內傳送出來，其頻寬可以達到數個GHz，有極高的抗雜訊率。

於本作品中，UWB感測器隱藏於座椅中，不需要接觸人體，即可將觀眾的心跳率，分別計算出相對應的數值：心跳率的變化程度，則可以反應出觀眾的內心世界情緒的起伏。本作品則捨棄定義較為複雜、嚴謹的「心跳變異率」（Heart Rate Variability, HRV），改採用「心跳變化次數」作為觀眾參與的基準元素。

團隊

指導單位：經濟部

創作單位：工業技術研究院 創意中心

概念/創意總監：吳淑敏

音樂設計：黃方亭

視覺藝術設計：劉正雅、林鈴惠、黃智皓、舒靜珉

UWB技術總監：陶德和

中文版介紹

Flickr Album : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mediaart/sets/

Cross time and space to interact with the creations of the universe
Concept/Creative director Ms. Shu Min Wu

What is the purpose of the birth of mankind?

What is the relationship between people and all being of haven and earth?

“The unity of human being and the universe” is the way Chinese view the world.

All beings of haven and earth originally were of one Qi.

And “If we see everything from its changing aspect even haven and earth can not last for a twinkling of an eye. If we look everything from its unchanging aspect, it and we will never end.”

The transformation of Qi determines the various expressions of haven and man, object and self, surreal and real, and also life and death.

The Concept

“Flow of Qi” primarily means “breathing”. On one hand it was first used in Qigong, but on the other hand, it is also used in calligraphy art to describe the sprite that the calligrapher reprinted in between the brush strokes. Furthermore, it corresponds with the philosophy of “the unity of human being and the universe”, and indirectly implies that the “Flow of Qi” does not simply just track a person’s vitality, it also is a part of the transforming and nourishing powers of haven and earth. In Chinese concept of “Qi”, participants cross time and space to interact, dialog and join the creations of the universe.

The Interactive Design

The interaction scheme is developed from the concept of “Yin and Yang”, and it requires two participants for joint-interaction. One controls the progress of calligraphys through breathing speed, while the other affects the artwork’s density through breathing depth. Together, they can achieve a sense of harmony and balance between Yin and Yang.

People’s real-time breathing is the factor to influence interaction in this artwork. The artwork uses advanced UWB (Ultra Wide Band) sensing technology, developed by ITRI, to analyze both the breathing tempo and the breathing depth, through the measurement of changes of the chest movements, caused by the spontaneous breath. The viewer’s breathing rate is measured in real-time in every 0.1 second. The invisible transformation of Qi is meticulously detected and shown with sounds in the most delicate ways through the presentation of famous calligraphy artworks from the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.

Through the concept of “Yin and Yang”, the complicated and ever-changing breathing, the visual aspect of the interactive calligraphy stroke is produced from the speed and density of the ink. Sound frequency and volume are used to present the musical effects that correspond with the Yin and Yang qualities in the breath.

The saying that “a person is his/her words, and a person is his/her paintings” exemplifies the Chinese belief that charisma of an artist is what determines his/her artistic achievement. Through the presence and intimacy with the contemporary Taiwanese master calligrapher, we try to simulate the spirit of the past historical calligrapher. The audience can experience the vital rhythms between the brush strokes, and encounter a unique personal interaction with these legendary masterpieces by Su Tungpo, Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Zhao Ji.

The Technical Description

“Ultra wideband non-contact sensor” applies Ultra Wide Band (UWB) radar technology to measure any small displacement of the chest cavity, and can measure respiration rate and heart rate simultaneously. UWB technology uses microwave impulses to detect movements and the power of electromagnetic waves are less than 0.1 percent of normal cellular phone. The sensor can be placed at a distance and need not contact the user, making the “Ultra wideband non-contact sensor” convenient and suitable for long-term monitoring. UWB now is adapted to patient monitor, intrusion detection, collision avoidance system, precision positioning system in ITRI.

Exhibition Vita

Arts Electronica, Austria, 2007

Seoul Media Biennale, Seoul of Art Museum, Korea, 2008

SIGGRAPH Asia, Singapore, 2008

Science Center, Singapore, 2008

Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial, Taiwan, 2008

2009 International  MEDTECH Art Show, National Taiwan, Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan, 2009

The Team

Creation Producer: Ministry of Economic Affirs
Creator: Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI)
The original calligraphy images are authorized by the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.
Executive Producer: ITRI Creativity Lab
Concept / Creative Director: Shu-Min Wu
Art Director: Yau Chen
Calligrapher: Quenten Lee
Consultant: Shu-Min Lin, Chang Shin Wu
Producer: Horus Shu
Technical Director: Tsang-Gang Lin
UWB Technical Director: Teh-Ho Tao
Interactive Sound Designer: Tang-Chun Li
Assistant Producer: Yen-Ping Chiu, Chia-You Chao, Ching-Wen Lin
Assistant Artists: Cheng-Ya Liu, Pei-Chun Hou,Ling-Hui Lin
UWB Technical Specialists: Shih-Jen Hu, Stanly Kuo,Sheng-Feng Lee, Kun-Mao Kuo, Shan-Shan Ju, Kuang-I Chang, Yuan-Mei Huang, Chih-Chung Wu

急凍醫世代—2009醫療與科技藝術國際展

展出期間 : 2009.07.25 ~ 2009.09.27

急凍醫世代—2009醫療與科技藝術國際展
Freeze!—2009 International MedTech Art Show

「急凍醫世代—2009醫療與科技藝術國際展」為國美首度舉辦，以探討新興生物科技與醫療技術所帶來的社會議題之展覽。此展由吳梓寧（Laza WU）及簡上閔(Shang-min CHIEN)策展，其核心概念為「醫療倫理」與「無障礙科技藝術」，試圖探討人類身處科技急速演進的時代中，所面臨之倫理與道德價值標準之轉變，以及科技帶給藝術的新定義與面貌。
展覽將分為四個彼此相關的子題：
1.肉身與癲狂 Flesh & Frenzy：表面癥候與潛藏慾望
2. 未來身體 Human Artborg：機器身體與無體之體
3. 反霸權醫療 Anti-Medical Hegemony：反生態帝國主義與後殖民醫療霸權
4. 無障礙科技藝術 Assistive Technology Art：科技輔具與科技藝術創作工具。

配合展覽將徵求專案志工，並規劃工作坊、藝術家座談等活動，相關訊息請查詢本館及數位藝術方舟網站。

相關連結 : http://www.ntmofa.gov.tw/rss/rss_ect.php?id=2430

English

相關相本 : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mediaart/sets/

行氣，呼吸間的時空對話概念/創意總監 吳淑敏

「天人合一」，正是華人看待世界的方式。

天地萬物本一氣

「自其變者而觀之，天地曾不能以一瞬；自其不變者而觀之，物與我皆無盡藏。」

作品概念

「行氣」，直觀的中文意義是「呼吸」，另一方面它是最早的氣功名字，一方面又是書法藝術中常常談論的書法家所留存在書筆間的精氣神。透過「氣」的概念，參與者以呼吸，跨越了古今的時空，交流、對話，並參與創造；暗示著：「行氣」，不只是個人生命的軌跡，也正是在天地化育的一部份，呼應華人文化「天人 合一」的哲思。

互動設計

人體自然而精細變化的呼吸是本作品的互動元素。運用工研院前瞻超寬頻UWB (Ultra Wide Band)雷達技術，僅利用人體胸腔呼吸的變化，即能從一連串繁複但精密的運算中，分析出人體呼吸的節奏、深度，每0.1秒即時偵測觀者的呼吸，將看不見 的內在「氣」的變化，精細地感測出來，並透過故宮博物院鎮館的文化寶藏－書法名帖（視覺），以及數位音樂（聽覺），細膩而微妙地表現出來！

本作品將複雜、瞬息萬變的呼吸，從「陰／陽」的觀念發展互動設計，以乾卦「自強不息」、坤卦「厚德載物」的概念，定義呼吸為「速度」與「振幅」，從而以書法的書寫速度、墨色濃淡來表現視覺，用「音頻」與「音量」來表現音樂效果。本作品必須由兩位觀眾合力完成，一位以呼吸的速度來控制書法的行進，另一位以呼吸的深淺來影響書法的濃淡，整個觀眾參與和互動，以達到彼此和諧、陰陽調和的狀態為最高境界，書法名帖才能以「接近原帖」重現。

「文如其人」、「畫如其人」,華人認為創作者的人格氣度，決定他的藝術成就。「行氣」運用蘇東坡、黃庭堅、米芾、趙佶的曠世傑作，透過台灣當代書法名家臨摹及科學分析，「行氣」作品企圖捕捉當年書法家的精氣神，讓現代人透過自己的呼吸，體會不同書法家的特質，讓觀者感受筆畫間的生命律動、與這些具千 年歷史的文化寶藏及書法家，有一段獨特而私密的交會。

科技運用

所謂的超寬頻意指頻寬超過0.5GHz或超過中心頻率的20%。以本創意作品核心技術之超寬頻感測器而言，中心頻率為5.65GHz，其3dB頻寬介於5.4GHz~5.95GHz之間，故稱為超寬頻感測器。應用此超寬頻感測器可在不接觸人體的情況下測量人體胸腔之微小位移，同時測量呼吸與心跳等生理參數。和一般接觸式量測相比，UWB量測技術以短脈衝電波來偵測，其功率較一般連續波技術為低，只有手機之萬分之一。且感測器僅需置於量測部位上方，不需接觸人體，增加使用之方便性與舒適性，適合長時間或睡 眠之監控使用。目前可應用於生理監視（嬰兒或成人）、保全（防止入侵偵測）、防碰撞機制、定位系統等方面。

於本作品中，隱藏於座椅中UWB藉由特定角度的量測，在不需要接觸人體的情況下，配合藝術展現的效果，可以將參與者的呼吸即時反應在書法上面，並藉由監測參與者呼吸的狀況，精準且巧妙的轉換為筆墨的行進，將故宮博物院珍藏的書法名帖，以現代科技表現得淋漓盡致。

本超寬頻非接觸感測器將兩位參與者的呼吸，分別計算出相對應的數值：呼吸深淺（振幅）與呼吸快慢（速度），並將此兩個數值運用、映射在書法的表現上面：其中一位以呼吸深控制墨色，當呼吸深，書法的墨色就較深，反之，當呼吸較淺，字的墨色就較淡。另外一位以呼吸快慢控制書法的行進，當呼吸速度較快，書法書寫的速度也會隨之增快，反之則較慢。此種完全利用人體呼吸本能，來完成一次次獨特的藝術互動經驗。由於UWB的高相容性、成熟度，使得本作品在運用高 科技下，仍無損於藝術表達的流暢，可謂是相當的成功。

展出經歷

Arts Electronica, Austria, 2007

Seoul Media Biennale, Seoul of Art Museum, Korea, 2008

SIGGRAPH Asia, Singapore, 2008

Science Center, Singapore, 2008

Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial, Taiwan, 2008

2009 International  MEDTECH Art Show, National Taiwan, Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan, 2009

團隊

作品指導單位：經濟部 創作單位：工業技術研究院

監製：工研院創意中心

概念／創意總監：吳淑敏

藝術總監：陳瑤

書法家：李蕭錕

顧問：林書民、吳長新

製作人：舒靜珉

技術總監：林倉亙

UWB技術總監：陶德和

互動音樂創作：李唐君

執行製作：趙家佑、林靖文、邱彥彬

藝術助理：劉正雅、侯佩君、林鈴惠

UWB 技術團隊：胡仕人、郭蘇珍、李昇峰、郭崑茂、朱姍姍、張匡儀、黃圓媚、吳至中

過去幾十年來，台灣以高品質低價位的代工聞名世界，從雨傘、玩具、成衣到高科技產品，台灣的廠商無所不能，Made in Taiwan 的字樣幾乎出現在生活的每一個角落，然而隨著利潤下降及國外廉價勞工的興起，台灣產業勢必要找到新的出路，始能創造下一波經濟奇蹟。

財團法人工業技術研究院於30餘年前創立，致力於科技的研發與應用，協助在地企業突破生產科技的瓶頸，扮演著台灣製造業推手的角色。有鑑於產經環境 的劇烈 改變，工研院在2004年成立創意中心，旨在引領新產業模式的建立，以源源不絕的創意勝出，繼續於國際舞台上扮演關鍵的角色。

創意中心的任務是協助產業從台灣製造邁向台灣創造，以對人與社會需求的洞察去驅動科技研發，一方面將原創概念以雛型(prototype）展示，激發業界對商機的想像，另一方面焠鍊團隊創意的方法與流程，擴散於產業界，讓技術、創意與產業接軌。

作品提供：工業技術研究院 創意中心
藝術原創：林書民
技術團隊：張耀元、李俊霆、楊岱璋、林倉亙

製作演出: 影舞集表演印象團、工業技術研究院創意中心

編導暨藝術總監: 陳琪

技術總監: 陳瑤

互動影像技術: 張耀元，楊岱璋，黃清隆，林倉亙，陳加珍，林顯昌

動畫製作: 影舞集表演印象團

演出協力: 漢唐樂府

照片與影片由影舞集提供