Devices for Interacting with Strangers

Part of the series: New Machines for Inefficiency

2014

New Machines for Inefficiency: Devices for Interacting with Strangers

These Devices for Interacting with Strangers consists of two devices for two participants to communicate with each other non verbally. The devices are wearable. They are worn in a similar fashion as google glass in that they are worn over one's head and but these devices only cover one eye. Each device contains a tiny LCD screen which is controlled by a micro-controller connected to a series of buttons. The LCD screen contains a controllable hand drawn image of an eye. The eye is controlled by the series of buttons. The users are expected to try to communicate non verbally through the their new inefficient augmented prosthetic eye. The eye can look from side to side, wink, blink. The user can explore communication through this very awkward device.

This work encourages the user to play, and explore expressions and the limits of this simple prosthetic eye game.These devices for interacting with strangers encourage strangers to play with each other and share an experience. This glass blinds one eye into a controllable device where the user must be intentional, and the interface is not seamless, and not efficient and not trying to embed itself transparently into ones life. This glass limits the communication of the users and by doing so augments and privileges the users choices within the limiting system. The users become performers, communicators, active participants. This work honours the inefficient, the miscommunication, the physical body.

Eye behaviour

The programmed eye can be controlled to do the following:

move from side to side

move from up to down

dilate the pupil

blink

close

stare without blinking

This project was generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.