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Tactile emoticons: Conveying social emotions and intentions with manual and robotic tactile feedback during social media communications
Get PDFTouch offers important non-verbal possibilities for socioaffective communication. Yet most digital communications lack capabilities regarding exchanging affective tactile messages (tactile emoticons). Additionally, previous studies on tactile emoticons have not capitalised on knowledge about the affective effects of certain mechanoreceptors in the human skin, e.g., the C-Tactile (CT) system. Here, we examined whether gentle manual stroking delivered in velocities known to optimally activate the CT system (defined as 'tactile emoticons'), during lab-simulated social media communications could convey increased feelings of social support and other prosocial intentions compared to (1) either stroking touch at CT sub-optimal velocities, or (2) standard visual emoticons. Participants (N = 36) felt more social intent with CT-optimal compared to sub-optimal velocities, or visual emoticons. In a second, preregistered study (N = 52), we investigated whether combining visual emoticons with tactile emoticons, this time delivered at CT-optimal velocities by a soft robotic device, could enhance the perception of prosocial intentions and affect participants' physiological measures (e.g., skin conductance rate) in comparison to visual emoticons alone. Visuotactile emoticons conveyed more social intent overall and in anxious participants affected physiological measures more than visual emoticons. The results suggest that emotional social media communications can be meaningfully enhanced by tactile emoticons. [Abstract copyright: Copyright: © 2024 Saramandi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
My bodily remains: Shedhalle: In ProtoZone14: Staying Close'
No full textCurated by Phila Bergmann, Michelangelo Miccolis, Thea Reifler, Lucie Tuma Curatorial Assistant Vanessa Bosc
Resplendence: The importance of strategic satoriality and the role of Aṣọ òkè in the culture of the Yorùbá of south western Nigeria
Get PDFThere are certain factors that ensure the preservation and significance of Aṣọ òkè in the Yorùbá understanding of resplendence: the most important of these is that it is still considered important to wear traditional attire at milestone occasions like weddings, investitures, and funerals, and aṣọ òkè is reserved for special occasions where formal or elevated dressing is required. This is the reason why the Yorùbá say 'aṣọ l'a ńkí ki a tó kí ènìyàn' 'one salutes the cloth(es) before greeting the wearer'. My research examines the phenomenon of resplendence as it presents in Yorùbá culture, specifically through the use this pre-eminent prestige cloth of the Yorùbá. The axiological empirical study focused on upper and upper-middle class Yorùbá living in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, using their sociality as a prism to extrapolate contemporary resplendence manifestation among the Yorùbá. It explores the centrality of resplendence to the core value-system of the Yorùbá of western Nigeria: how strategic sartoriality informs and is informed by concepts of morality, traditional religious beliefs, kinship and beauty. My research includes an exploration of the employment of ‘skilled vision’ in the understanding of this sartorial appreciation and in the transposition of roles in relation to typical western hierarchies of creative production, as the weavers' status remains as artisan while the 'accomplished' wearer of aṣọ òkè is elevated to artist. I believe that my research offers an opportunity to produce a cohesive body of knowledge on the phenomenon of resplendence and the concept of strategic sartoriality as practiced and manifested within contemporary Yorùbá society. This will extend the current knowledge regarding the inter-relationship of the Yorùbá value-system and sensibility and its traditional textiles while congruently exploring the socio-psychological impact of the continuation of the phenomenon in a postmodern age. This context is rife with non-cultural distractions and competition, including facing the impact of COVID pandemic realities. The research undertakes a multi-method approach through the following research questions: What is the significance of the concepts of Resplendence and strategic sartoriality in Yorùbá culture? How do integral cultural signifiers survive contemporisation and continue to retain their specific cultural symbolism and meaning? What are the dichotomies of cultural gender expectations within this society and are they viewed as onerous or positively assistive? How are any gendered inequalities or inequities of socio-cultural pressure manifested, and what mechanisms are employed to negotiate these pressures? What are the psycho-social armatures that support the continued expectation of strategic sartoriality and the manifestation of resplendence? What has been COVID 19’s impact on this milieu and the practice of resplendence? What factors militated against seizing the opportunity the pandemic presented for a societal recalibration regarding resplendence? Why would a society (or individual) persist in the practice of a retrogressive version of resplendence even when the practice is apparently inimical and counterproductive to societal and individual wellbeing? The study also offers the opportunity to provide a contemporary account drawn during the COVID era, exploring circumstances under which cultures may appear to work against their own societal wellbeing or interest. In this research I coined the term ‘strategic sartoriality’, which is the intentional targeting of attire and adornment in order to manipulate situations, as well as the word 'psychosphere,' which I use to describe the psycho-cultural social milieu in which this behaviour and the study takes place
Polar Aesthetics: Art of the Arctic and Antarctic
Get PDFWhat hidden histories written in polar ice can contemporary art reveal? Propelled by the urgency of addressing the climate crisis, my research identifies ice-core laboratories as important historical sites. It posits that an understanding of the narratives embedded in these sites can enable the production of contemporary artworks and that a material engagement with these works will lead to a better understanding of our past and present interactions with the world we live in. I explore the slow accumulation and rapid disappearance of ice sheets, glaciers and ice cores as experienced through my audio-visual exploration of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) ice-core laboratory. Recorded interviews and oral testimony by climate scientists were also used as the basis for developing a sensory, material and atmospheric approach to writing and making. The BAS ice core laboratory holds an important collection of ice from both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. Dating back 800,000 years in geological time, the BAS ice cores contain vital information from the polar past, including changes in both temperature and concentration of atmospheric gases. (bas.ac.uk) Ice cores are cylinders drilled from an ice sheet or glacier that scientists use to measure and predict the direct correlation between accelerating global warming, rapid melting of glaciers and rising sea levels. Ice cores contain small bubbles of trapped ancient air that make popping sounds when dissolved in water. I have been conducting audio and film recordings of this released ancient air. During this research, I created three integrated bodies of written and practical work. The first chapter explores the sublimation and deposition phase changes of polar water through my Vapour Series of sound installations. The second chapter explores the condensation and evaporation phase changes of polar water through my Liquid Series of painting and photography. The third and final chapter explores the freezing and melting phase changes of polar water through my Solid Series of glass sculptures. The work is informed by my real and imagined experience of the Arctic in southern Iceland and Rothera in northern Antarctica. I document and interpret how ideas of polar water, as experienced through contemporary artworks, contribute to our understanding of time, place and memory. These ideas are further refined through my central case study, Roni Horn’s Library of Water (2017). The research examines the threat posed by the current climate crisis at the site at which its consequences are most clearly apparent – the polar waters of the Arctic north and the Antarctic south. The research examines notions of climate crisis through the work of critical theorists including Esther Leslie (liquid crystals) and Jane Bennett’s idea of the ‘vibrancy of matter’, or the ‘political ecology of things’. (Bennett, 2010) Bennett’s notion of the human and non-human has alerted me to the magnitude of the work conducted by the climate scientists at the British Antarctic Survey. Bennett’s idea of passive, inert or active forces, amplifies the magnetic stories and unnamed polar history they are yet to tell. The active participation of visitors during my exhibitions to date suggests that such histories are not vanishing points, but co-ordinates marking points where parallel lines emerge and converge. Polar Aesthetics identifies the British Antarctic Survey ice-core laboratory as a vital yet critically under-explored repository of scientific and cultural data that reflects humanity’s engagement with, and intervention in, the polar regions. As a nexus of historical information, it facilitates the production of contemporary artworks at a time of accelerating climate crisis. My research makes an original contribution to knowledge of the laboratory and argues that material experiences of these artworks enable and encourage a deep consideration of the fragile glacial past, present and future
Sylvan sounds: Connecting with the forest through listening and sound visualisation
Get PDFHuman-induced climate and ecological breakdown is radically changing the conditions of the surface of the Earth, affecting the capacity for life to flourish. This thesis developed from a drive to engage with the ecological crisis within my art practice. I do this through reconnecting to trees and forests in my home country whilst asking the question: within the current crisis of ecological breakdown, how can listening and sound visualisation enhance human connection with forests? The practice-based research for my thesis combines listening, field recording and sound visualisation to create audio-visual installations. I track the evolution and development of my interdisciplinary making methodology, by tackling four secondary questions: How can listening to the sounds made by trees reconnect humans to the forest? What might sylvan soundscapes contribute to the field of ecological sound art? How can I use sound visualisation to deepen my understanding of sylvan soundscapes and the experience of listening in forests? How might exhibiting field recordings and sound diagrams as audio-visual installations change perspectives of sylvan sounds and how might this be affected by the exhibition setting? I use listening as a method to engage with the woodland environment and field recording to gather sounds of sylvan processes. I explore unnoticed and inaudible sounds made by, and within, trees such as susurrations, transpiration, and recycling of tree matter. The five study sites within UK forests are: Clocaenog Forest (Denbighshire, N Wales), the forest of Mar and Spittal of Glenshee (Cairngorms National Park, NE Scotland), Scott’s Wood (Helford River, Cornwall, SW England), Caledonian Forest (Glen Affric, Highlands, NW Scotland), and Blackheath Forest (Surrey, SE England). Through sound visualisation I analyse my field recordings to reveal the hidden sonic depths of the sylvan forest. The resulting diagrammatical and audio-visual artworks provide audiences with alternative avenues of engagement with, and perspectives of, trees and woodlands. My work references contemporary theorists from the fields of communication and listening theory (Lisbeth Lipari, Pauline Oliveros and Salomé Voegelin), political and ecological philosophy (Jane Bennett and Timothy Morton), anthropology (Tim Ingold and Anna Tsing), soundscape ecology (Bernie Krause), and indigenous knowledge (Robin Wall Kimmerer and Dylan Robinson). I synthesise these theories with my own forest listening and sound visualisation practice, alongside the work of ecological sound artists and visual artists with sound diagramming practices. I argue that multi-modal listening generates alternative perspectives to consider the forest not as an ecosystem service (for use and exploitation by humans) but as a community of vibrant, interconnected, multi-species beings, worthy of attention and auditory focus. Given our expanding knowledge of ecological breakdown, research such as this comes at a time when reconnecting humans with our more-than-human companion species – trees – has never been more critical. This thesis seeks to highlight alternative perspectives of the sounds of trees and facilitate awareness of our complicated relationship with the sylvan forest
ROSIC: Enhancing secure and accessible robot control through open-source instant messaging platforms
Get PDFAbstractEnsuring secure communication and seamless accessibility remains a primary challenge in controlling robots remotely. The authors propose a novel approach that leverages open‐source instant messaging platforms to overcome the complexities and reduce costs associated with implementing a secure and user‐centred communication system for remote robot control named Robot Control System using Instant Communication (ROSIC). By leveraging features, such as real‐time messaging, group chats, end‐to‐end encryption and cross‐platform support inherent in the majority of instant messenger platforms, we have developed middleware that establishes a secure and efficient communication system over the Internet. By using instant messaging as the communication interface between users and robots, ROSIC caters to non‐technical users, making it easier for them to control robots. The architecture of ROSIC enables various scenarios for robot control, including one user controlling multiple robots, multiple users controlling one robot, multiple robots controlled by multiple users, and one user controlling one robot. Furthermore, ROSIC facilitates the interaction of multiple robots, enabling them to interoperate and function collaboratively as a swarm system by providing a unified communication platform that allows for seamless exchange of data and commands. Telegram was specifically chosen as the instant messaging platform by the authors due to its open‐source nature, robust encryption, compatibility across multiple platforms and interactive communication capabilities through channels and groups. Notably, the ROSIC is designed to communicate effectively with robot operating system (ROS)‐based robots to enhance our ability to control them remotely
Mirror Mirror
No full textMirror, Mirror, a group show curated by Soheila Sokhanvari and Kristin Hjellegjerde and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Tower Bridge, brings together fifteen artists whose work explores the rich and varied symbolism of mirrors. Featuring painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media and conceptual work, the exhibition examines how reflection can be used to evoke ideas around narcissism, truth, trauma and identity. Lest Demons Enter, a video work by Rachel Garfield, similarly explores ideas around ritual, recognition, mis-recognition and estrangement. In Jewish tradition mirrors are covered in the first seven days after a death as it is believed that demons may use them to enter into a person’s soul during this vulnerable time. In Garfield’s film footage of mirrors being covered in people’s homes merge with demons from Hollywood and medieval illustrations, creating both sense of drama and a feeling of disorientation
Trans femme futures: Abolitionist ethics for transfeminist worlds
No full text‘Femme’ describes a constellation of queer, gendered expressions that uproot expectations of what it means to be feminine. Building upon experiences of transformation, belonging and harm, this book offers transfeminist contributions to movements for collective liberation. Trans Femme Futures envisions the future through everyday actions that revolutionise all of our lives. Nat Raha and Mijke van der Drift discuss struggles around trans healthcare, and the need for collectives rather than institutions, the importance of mutual care, and transfeminism as abolition. The authors show how social change can be achieved through transformative practices that allow queer life to thrive in a time of climate, health, political and economic crises
Wearables Collective Book of Abstracts
Get PDFWEARABLES COLLECTIVE is a two-day symposium focused on e-textiles, smart clothing and other forms of wearable technology applications for health and wellbeing, organized by University of California-Davis in collaboration with the Royal College of Art, London. The symposium aims for deep exploration and cross disciplinary discussion in wearables of all forms, smart material explorations and tangible human computer/robot interfaces for physical and mental health and wellbeing in all stages of life from infancy to older age, to sleep-work- leisure cycles as well as healthy versus unwell phases in life
A framework for remotely enabled co-design with young people: Its development and application with neurodiverse children and their caregivers
Get PDFIntroduction: This paper describes an innovative Framework for Remotely Enabled Co-Design with Young people (FREDY), which details an adaptable four-stage process for generating design concepts with children and other key stakeholders in a naturalistic and inclusive way. Methods: Recommendations from existing patient engagement and design methodologies were combined to provide research teams with procedures to capture and analyse end-user requirements rapidly. Resulting insights were applied through iterative design cycles to achieve accelerated and user-driven innovation. Results: Applying this framework with neurodiverse children within the context of healthcare, shows how creative design methods can give rise to new opportunities for co-creating across diverse geographies, abilities, and backgrounds as well as strengthen co-designer approval of the co-design process and resulting product. Discussion: We summarise key learnings and principles for fostering trust and sustaining participation with remote activities, and facilitating stakeholder design input through continuous collaboration, as well as highlight the potential benefits and challenges of utilising FREDY with neurotypical populations