Bodies in Code Bodies in Codeoorr how primordial tactilityhow primordial tactility introjects technics intointrojects technics into human lifehuman life

- - a presentation by Jelena Gregov- - a presentation by Jelena Gregov

. . . MARK B N HANSEN

Professor of Professor of LiteratureLiterature and and Arts of the Arts of the Moving ImageMoving Image .at Duke University .at Duke University

OOne of the most well known ne of the most well known investigators of digital art, media and investigators of digital art, media and bodily relations.bodily relations.

His His work makes a significant shiftwork makes a significant shift in inapproaching new media through affect approaching new media through affect and sensation, rather than techniques, and sensation, rather than techniques, forms or aesthetics.forms or aesthetics.

Bodies in CodeBodies in Code:: Interfaces Interfaces WithWith Digital MediaDigital Media, explores how our , explores how our bodies experience and adapt to digital bodies experience and adapt to digital environments. environments.

. . Mark B N Hansen . . Mark B N Hansen

All reality is mixed reality All reality is mixed reality

3 Although we see the world in 3 Although we see the world in, dimensions we have only been, dimensions we have only been

.able to depict it in two .able to depict it in two

Scientific and artistic focus on Scientific and artistic focus on the total simulation of the total simulation of

.perceptual reality .perceptual reality

: “ Virtual a space full of: “ Virtual a space full of, information that can be, information that can be

, , , activated revealed reorganized, , , activated revealed reorganized added to and transformed as the added to and transformed as the

... .”user navigates real space ... .”user navigates real space

THE ACHILLES HEEL OFREPRESENTATIONALISM

PROJECTION OF IMAGES 3 IN DIMENSIONS

A FLUID INTERPRETATION OF

REALMS

.2All reality is mixed reality pt .2All reality is mixed reality pt

The poverty of our ocularcentric The poverty of our ocularcentric and metaphisical tradition and and metaphisical tradition and

.its representationalis aesthetics .its representationalis aesthetics

A more expansive and fluid A more expansive and fluid functional interpretation of functional interpretation of

.physical and virtual .physical and virtual

In touch with our most primitive In touch with our most primitive : perceptual capacities for : perceptual capacities for

, 3 humans D space is more, 3 humans D space is more 2 .intuitive than D 2 .intuitive than D

MYRON KRUEGER

MICROCOMPUTINGREVOLUTION

DEVELOPMENT OF3- DIMENSIONAL

SIMULATION

Embodiment Embodiment

TThe structure and form of who he structure and form of who you are.you are.

BBody awareness - not just ody awareness - not just being aware of the body as an being aware of the body as an object, but being aware object, but being aware asas the the body. body.

Artificial Reality Artificial Reality

Myron W. Krueger used Myron W. Krueger used this this term term to describe his interactive to describe his interactive

immersive environments, immersive environments, based on video recognition based on video recognition techniquestechniques. .

Today it is Today it is often used to often used to describe a virtual reality that is describe a virtual reality that is indistinguishable from reality. indistinguishable from reality.

TT echnical mediation of the echnical mediation of the body schema body schema ( of the scope( of the scope - ) of body environment coupling comprises what Hansen - ) of body environment coupling comprises what Hansen

“ ”.calls body in code “ ”.calls body in code

It is not purely informational body or digital It is not purely informational body or digital .disembodiment of the everyday body .disembodiment of the everyday body

It is a body submitted to and constituted by empowering It is a body submitted to and constituted by empowering – technical deterritorialization a body whose – technical deterritorialization a body whose

.embodiment is realized in conjunction with technology .embodiment is realized in conjunction with technology

Bodies in code Bodies in code

In psychology and cognitive science, a schema describes an organized pattern of thought or behavior that organizes categories of information

and the relationships among them.

Myron Krueger Myron Krueger

.Pioneer of interactive media art .Pioneer of interactive media art

HH is interest concerned the is interest concerned the enactive enactive potential afforfed by the potential afforfed by the , .new media not its representational or simulational capacity , .new media not its representational or simulational capacity

He rejected HMDs because he thought that they are He rejected HMDs because he thought that they are distancing participants from the world they were supposed to distancing participants from the world they were supposed to

.feel immersed in .feel immersed in

’ VR technologies extend the body s power to construct the ’ VR technologies extend the body s power to construct the .space and world .space and world

Hansen positions Hansen positions Krueger as the precursorKrueger as the precursor and first and first practitionerpractitioner of second-generation virtual (or mixed) rof second-generation virtual (or mixed) reealityality..

Constructive power of human Constructive power of human.embodiment.embodiment

Body Schema As PotentialityBody Schema As Potentiality

Merleau-Ponty's chapter on "The Spatiality of One’sMerleau-Ponty's chapter on "The Spatiality of One’s Own Body and Motility" from Own Body and Motility" from TheThe P Phenomenhenomenology of ology of PPerceptionerception

distinguishing the body schema from thdistinguishing the body schema from th e e bodbodyy image image

Three important consequences follow from this Three important consequences follow from this distinction:distinction:

the body is always in excess over itself; the body is always in excess over itself;

this excess involvesthis excess involves the body's coupling to an external the body's coupling to an external environment; environment;

BecauseBecause such coupling is increasinglsuch coupling is increasinglyy accomplished accomplished through technical means,through technical means, this excess canthis excess can be actualibe actualizzed ed only with the explicit aid of technics.only with the explicit aid of technics.

The conception of the phenomenal body The conception of the phenomenal body

:The body as a medium for having the world :The body as a medium for having the world

( ) A primary access to the world that includes the body ( ) A primary access to the world that includes the body

– Autopietic theory referring to the system capable of – Autopietic theory referring to the system capable of . reproducing and maintaining itself . reproducing and maintaining itself

Establishes Establishes the phenomenal body andthe phenomenal body and its operational its operational perspective perspective

not as a not as a connection connection of the objective body andof the objective body and the the observational perspectobservational perspectivive e

rather as the source of both perspectivesrather as the source of both perspectives ( (of the very of the very possibility of having a perspective as suchpossibility of having a perspective as such))

AA darkened room with tubes of darkened room with tubes of lightlight and and floor was covered in floor was covered in sensors. A computer respondsensors. A computer respondeded to footsteps by lighting different to footsteps by lighting different tubes or changing the soundstubes or changing the sounds..

To Krueger, GLOWFLOW was To Krueger, GLOWFLOW was successful visually, but it lacked successful visually, but it lacked the fundamentals of a responsive the fundamentals of a responsive environmentenvironment..

’ Krueger s environments’ Krueger s environments (1969) GLOWFLOW (1969) GLOWFLOW

TThe possibilities were almost endless:  he possibilities were almost endless:  the artist could write words to communicate with the participantsthe artist could write words to communicate with the participants

play games of tic-tac-toe play games of tic-tac-toe

draw accessories on and around the participant's imagedraw accessories on and around the participant's image

The real breakthrough came when Krueger discovered "live The real breakthrough came when Krueger discovered "live graffiti.”graffiti.”

’ Krueger s environments’ Krueger s environments (1970) METAPLAY (1970) METAPLAY

MMetaplayetaplay emphasized the emphasized the interaction between participants interaction between participants and the environment.and the environment.

The second feature was a maze programThe second feature was a maze program:: A person's position in the room was represented by a small symbol A person's position in the room was represented by a small symbol on the projection screen.on the projection screen.

A person's physical movement in the room would cause the symbol A person's physical movement in the room would cause the symbol to correspondingly move on the screen.to correspondingly move on the screen.

’ Krueger s environments’ Krueger s environments PSYCHIC SPACEPSYCHIC SPACE (1971) (1971)

AAn environment with two n environment with two functions: an instrument for functions: an instrument for musical expression, and a richly musical expression, and a richly composed, interactive, visual composed, interactive, visual experienceexperience..

: The first feature : The first feature

Every time a person made a Every time a person made a step, a different note or sound step, a different note or sound was triggered.  was triggered. 

For Krueger it was the relationships between action and For Krueger it was the relationships between action and response that were most importantresponse that were most important, . not the aesthetics, . not the aesthetics

Instead of an artist creating a piece of artwork, the artist is creating a Instead of an artist creating a piece of artwork, the artist is creating a sequence of possibilities.sequence of possibilities.

’ Krueger s environments’ Krueger s environments PSYCHIC SPACEPSYCHIC SPACE (1971) (1971)

TTwo or more rooms that can wo or more rooms that can be placed anywherebe placed anywhere..

Within the room, a rear Within the room, a rear projection screen is utilized projection screen is utilized so that when a person so that when a person enters, they are confronted enters, they are confronted with their own image as well with their own image as well as the images of those in the as the images of those in the connected roomsconnected rooms..

https://vimeo.com/120944206

Quantum Space / interactive room, by Igor Tatarnikov, a.k.a. Sodazot

Virtuix Omni - Grand Theft Auto V https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZEnjwUqc4M

Motion controllers make great VR lightsabers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSObZQhZ8Gs

MicroSoft HoloLens http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us

https://vimeo.com/71786451

: “VICTORIA VESNA Octopus Mandala Glow”

Lessons Lessons

CCommitment to a humanist modelommitment to a humanist model

TThe focus of interface reshe focus of interface reseearch should be on humanarch should be on human naturenature

o Embodiment is mediator between the computer and the world Embodiment is mediator between the computer and the world

Krueger's eKrueger's envnvironments function ironments function as as laboratories for finding laboratories for finding out howout how humans might harmonize with technical humans might harmonize with technical environments.environments.

!Thank you !Thank you