Team Members: , Miles Lewis, Logan Turner, Sam Lipencott
Team Roles: Algorithmic Design, Mechanical Design, and Fabrication, Organization and Concept Development
October 2022 - April 2023
Scripting Languages: Python, Arduino, Processing
Have you ever had the feeling you are being watched? Scopaesthesia aims to recreate this unsettling feeling confronting the psychological impact of mass surveillance. Using the same surveillance technology that is used worldwide, Scoaethesia encourages the viewer to question their relationship with digital privacy and how these issues affect our behavior.
Precedence
Much of our inspiration came from the physical installations of Daniel Rozin. As you move, the installation moves with you, reflecting your motion. We found this idea to be very compelling.
While Rozin's installations reflect the user, they act more as an analogy for mirrors in a novel, fun way. But what would it feel like if that reflection is staring back at you?
We sought to apply this idea of interactive, reflective installations to invoke a feeling of horror or discomfort rather than entertainment.
TECHNOLOGY
Computer vision is a subset of artificial intelligence that deals with how computers see and interpret the visual world. As AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, computer vision is becoming a standard for surveillance technology. Computer vision can quickly assess every moment captured on video which can be useful for a variety of security applications, but the technology does not come without downfalls. Amnesty International uncovered a trend where the 25,000 surveillance cameras in NYC were used in racial profiling through facial recognition software in predominantly minority boroughs.
Scopaesthesia uses computer vision to identify faces on a screen and tracks the face in real-time. the tracked data is used to control animatronic eyes that follow the user across 3D space.
Process
We started our design process by breaking down the final installation into steps, one of them being a 3D-printed eye mechanism that is controllable on two axes plus a being able to blink. We prototyped the by connecting it to a Wii nunchuck to test the articulation and reliability.
The other main part of the project was training the deep learning model to be able to recognize human faces in real-time. this involves feeding the program over 10,000 images of different people's faces so that it can track other people's faces, not just my own.
Next, we integrated the face-tracking algorithm with the eye mechanism. As you can see there were still quite a few bugs to work out
Our next prototype was a two by two grid of eyes that all independently tracks a face. our final installation is 64 total eyes, so our code was meant to be easily scaleable for a desired amount of eyes. A 2x2 grid can test how different positions of eyes on the grid changes how the eyes are angled to point at the user.
Final Build
Because the final build uses 64-eye assembly, we had a LOT of 3D printing to complete. Over 576 individual parts and over 300 hours of printing later we were ready to start assembling
The eye mechanisms were designed to be easily assembled with standard M2.5 and M3 hardware. Each part of the mechanism is designed to be easily replaceable with just one or two screws. This became important when assembling because often a friend was helping with assembly, so it was easy to teach the assembly process without any technical knowledge on how the mechanism works.
A CNC router was used to cut all the eye holes accurately.
The 3D-printed eye mechanisms were drilled into 2x4 rows that had slots cut out for full movement of the servos. Each row of the installation acts as one modular unit that can be easily removed for repairs without affecting the other rows. This was especially helpful in troubleshooting because we could isolate one faulty row and quickly identify the problems.
Finishing
For the front face of the installation we chose to use Worbla; a thermoplastic commonly used in cosplay. We started by molding the form of the front face with modeling clay to act as a mold for the Worbla. we then heated the sheet over the clay and molded it to form the eye sockets. The result was a creepy skin-like texture that allowed for easy manipulation if it didn't fit over the eyes correctly.
Final Installation
The final piece was showcased at the ATLAS EXPO on May 4th, 2023. The showcase was a success with over two hundred viewers interacting with our exhibit. The installation was designed so that anyone, regardless of technical knowledge, can interact with the installation without explanation. This helped our installation succeed in a high foot-traffic environment because it allowed a lot of interaction in a short amount of time. Overall EXPO was a great experience and I would love to show Scopaesthesia in more exhibitions!