Fear Follower

Fear Follower is an interactive installation developed for Halloween 2023, combining motion capture, robotics, and immersive audiovisual elements to create an eerie and engaging environment. Developed in collaboration with SinYu Deng (visual animations) and Adam Schmidt (robot construction and operation), this project leverages both technological innovation and artistic vision to evoke an intense experience of being watched and pursued.

Project Overview:

The installation centers around a large, projected eyeball that continuously tracks the user’s movements within the room, accompanied by a robotic hand that follows the user across the space. This Halloween-inspired interactive environment combines visual motion tracking with dynamic sound design to elicit a sense of unease and heightened awareness. The auditory feedback intensifies as the robotic hand approaches, creating a responsive and immersive soundscape that adapts to the user’s actions.

Key Features:

Visual Motion Capture: Utilizes marker-based motion tracking with specially designed glasses and gloves, allowing the projected eyeball and robotic hand to follow the user precisely.

Dynamic Sound Design: Employs granular synthesis and filtered sound layers in SuperCollider and Max/MSP, modulated based on the proximity between the robot and user, evoking a compelling tension.

Interactive Visuals: Visuals in TouchDesigner are synced with user movement, enhancing the sensation of being observed. The eyeball’s gaze and color intensity respond to hand movement, increasing immersion.

Responsive Robotics: The robotic hand uses real-time motion data to continuously reorient itself toward the user. Controlled through Max/MSP and Arduino, the robot’s speed is modulated by the user’s hand velocity, enhancing its lifelike response.

Research Areas:

Human-Robot Interaction

Motion Capture Technology

Immersive Sound Design

Audiovisual Synchronization

Future Goals:

Enhanced Robot Motion Control: Incorporate additional feedback mechanisms for smoother and more adaptive robotic responses.

Refined Visual Effects: Explore darker or more controlled lighting to create a stronger visual contrast, enhancing the overall eerie effect.

Expanded Sound Design: Develop additional layers of interactive sound modulation, potentially incorporating more nuanced auditory cues based on user movement and proximity.