Gestalt Inhibition Sequence: A Proposed Method of Immersion into Virtual Environments
Background: The project is a visualization of a proposed method of psychological immersion into virtual environments using audio-visual wave sequencing driven by biofeedback through the conversion of brainwave algorithms.
Objective: Target and induce specific states of consciousness by establishing a given state and accelerating or slowing to a target state to optimize suggestibility and deepen immersion into a virtual environment.
Background: This project began as an unconscious distraction and ultimately became a strategy for achieving immersion into virtual environments. I have been interested in understanding the creative process, motivation, and the relationship between conscious and unconscious states, and I was seeking to establish a quantifiable, reliable means of triggering a creative state, or a suggestible state. Are they one and the same? Certainly, imagination is the product of immersion or a highly focused state of attention. VR researchers at Georgia Tech scoffed at my notion of 'Digital Hypnosis', or at least they shunned the terminology because of the stigma - hence the name 'Gestalt Inhibition Sequence'.
Objective: Target and induce specific states of consciousness by establishing a given state and accelerating or slowing to a target state to optimize suggestibility and deepen immersion into a virtual environment.
Background: This project began as an unconscious distraction and ultimately became a strategy for achieving immersion into virtual environments. I have been interested in understanding the creative process, motivation, and the relationship between conscious and unconscious states, and I was seeking to establish a quantifiable, reliable means of triggering a creative state, or a suggestible state. Are they one and the same? Certainly, imagination is the product of immersion or a highly focused state of attention. VR researchers at Georgia Tech scoffed at my notion of 'Digital Hypnosis', or at least they shunned the terminology because of the stigma - hence the name 'Gestalt Inhibition Sequence'.
Outcome: Presented at Siggraph '98, featured in Computer Graphics World Magazine October 1998 and in the 25th Anniversary Retrospective January 2002.
Below: The original mock-up image that intrigued me to carry out the project.
Below: I created this textured form as a desktop icon, then began duplicating it.
An early stage of "growth" at a close view; the red areas indicate the base from which the initial forms sprout. Created with Adobe After Effects.
Although the original component constantly changes, the process involved taking a unit of six components, building a new structure in the same pattern of 6 overlapping and offset units as the original structure, and applying a comprehensive 'mutation' to the new 'generation'. Each consecutive generation was arranged and affected uniquely - there were eight generations, which amounts to 1,296 of the original components.
Although the original component constantly changes, the process involved taking a unit of six components, building a new structure in the same pattern of 6 overlapping and offset units as the original structure, and applying a comprehensive 'mutation' to the new 'generation'. Each consecutive generation was arranged and affected uniquely - there were eight generations, which amounts to 1,296 of the original components.
Six variations, in order of progression. My strategy was to use abstraction to reward the viewer's tendency to seek out patterns governed by the viewer's biofeedback.
At this stage, I used Alias Power Animator (now Maya) to solid-project each frame of the existing animation onto a piece of wavering geometry and convert each frame to a solid texture.
The wave of the geometry was created with offset clusters, creating a fluid cloth effect, (this was before the introduction of soft body dynamics). The method of cluster animation, animated shader, and conversion of solid-projected texture were three techniques I had focused on as potentials of organic modeling and animation. I then brought this component back into After Effects to complete the remaining generations.
Below: Animated color map on animated geometry.
Below: Beginning of the 37 second animated sequence.
Below: Final frame of the sequence.
