Biophysical Movement and Emotion as Computational Interfaces - Workshop

Biophysical Movement and Emotion as Computational Interfaces (bioMECI) Workshop is a collaborative workshop centred on biophysical data, computational art, and performance. At the centre of this workshop is the biophysical sensing toolkit, called The Source (www.biomeci.com). The Source is a wearable device solution for full-spectrum biophysical sensing that integrates with commonly used software platforms, enabling its use in the maker and arts communities. Data gathered from The Source is analyzed using hardware and software tools that interface with popular platforms such as Arduino, Max/MSP, SuperCollider, Ableton Live, TouchDesigner, and Processing. The Source provides real-time access to signals from the brain, heart, muscles, skin and eyes and more. This modular system empowers artists to create responsive artworks that engage directly with the body's inner states.

About bioMECI (www.biomeci.com)

Biophysical Movement and Emotion as Computational Interfaces (bioMECI) research explores how technology can help us create deeper connections with the world around us, each other, and ourselves by combining the latest advances in biophysiological sensing technology with physiological awareness techniques.

Workshop schedule

Guided Workshop Activities: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM (incl. lunch break)

Open Studio: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM (optional time for Q&A or personal project work)

Workshop activities

This workshop will introduce participants to The Source, and offer hands-on, practical experience in harnessing data non-invasively with electrodes, as well as gathering and processing data in real-time for various applications, enabling immediate artistic deployments. This will be a rare opportunity to engage with cutting-edge tools while fostering a deeper awareness of the body's hidden electrical rhythms and their creative potential.

In the workshop we will:

• Introduce participants to current biophysical sensing techniques with The Source.

• Offer ethical and mindful approaches to working with embodied data.

• Provide ready-to-use templates in Max/MSP, TouchDesigner, and Ableton Live.

• Support participants in creating immediate and interactive outputs using their biophysical signals.

Workshop requirements

We encourage participants to bring their laptops and, optionally, anything they use as of part of their creative practice. We will provide all the necessary technology for biophysical sensing.

This workshop is being presented as part of the Body Electric Exhibition: https://charlesstreetvideo.com/project.php?id=173

Photo credit: Alysia James, from the body in\verse (2021) (https://www.mdhosale.com/bodyinverse/)