Mood Table Art Research

2020

Responsive Architecture: Furniture that Reflects Human Emotion in Real-Time

​Nature of Event:	Event
Products Used:	Upmood Band, Upmood Insight API
Metrics Collected:	Mood, Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Valence Level

Tongji University in China and Centro Universitario Belas Artes in Brazil are leading academic institutions known for their innovative research in architecture, design, and technology. Collaborating on a groundbreaking project, researchers Marcus Farr (Tongji University), Andrea Macruz (Tongji University), and Alexandre Ulson (Centro Universitario Belas Artes) presented their work at The European Conference on Arts & Humanities 2020. Their research explores the dynamic interaction between physical objects and human engagement, specifically focusing on how furniture and architectural spaces can respond to human emotions and connectivity in real-time.

This research aimed to redefine the interaction between humans and their built environment by enabling physical objects, such as furniture, to respond to human emotion dynamically. The project used sensory materials and computational patterns to create architectural spaces that are in sync with human activity and mood. Emotion monitoring was paramount for this endeavor, as it provided the essential real-time data needed for the responsive furniture to accurately reflect participants' emotional states, thus demonstrating a novel application of biometric technology in architectural design and human-computer interaction.

Designing Emotion-Responsive Environments

The core of this research involved the creation of a responsive table designed to reflect the mood of participants in real time. Participants interacted with this innovative furniture while wearing Upmood bands. These bands continuously collected physiological data, which was then processed and translated into emotional states. The Upmood Insight API played a crucial role by seamlessly integrating this real-time emotion data into the computational patterns controlling the responsive table. By utilizing sensory materials embedded within the furniture, the architectural space could dynamically adjust its characteristics (e.g., lighting, subtle movements, visual cues) in direct response to the collective or individual emotional states of those interacting with it, creating a truly immersive and empathetic environment.

Why Upmood?

Upmood's cutting-edge technology was fundamental to the success of this project. The Upmood Band provided the reliable and non-intrusive real-time PPG data necessary to accurately measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and map it to distinct emotional states. Crucially, the Upmood Insight API offered the seamless integration capabilities required to feed this complex emotional data directly into the custom-built computational systems controlling the responsive furniture. This ensured that the architectural elements could react dynamically and accurately to human emotion, pushing the boundaries of interactive design and demonstrating Upmood's versatility in applications beyond traditional wellness or education.

Key Outcomes and Findings

The project successfully demonstrated the feasibility and impact of emotion-responsive environments:

• Real-Time Emotional Reflection: The responsive table effectively reflected the mood of participants in real time, providing a tangible and immediate feedback loop between human emotion and physical space.

  
  

• Dynamic Human-Object Interaction: The project showcased a novel form of human-object interaction where furniture actively responded to emotional cues, creating a more intuitive and empathetic environment.

  
  

• Computational Patterns in Sync with Human Activity: By utilizing sensory materials and Upmood data, the architectural space successfully employed computational patterns that were in direct sync with human emotional activity.

  
  

• Validation of Emotion-Driven Design: The presentation at The European Conference on Arts & Humanities 2020 validated the concept of emotion-driven design, highlighting its potential in architecture and interactive installations.

Conclusion

The collaborative project by Tongji University and Centro Universitario Belas Artes, powered by Upmood's emotion monitoring technology, successfully showcased a groundbreaking application of real-time emotional data in creating responsive architectural spaces. By enabling furniture to reflect human emotion, this research has opened new avenues for understanding and designing environments that are truly in sync with human well-being and connectivity. This project highlights Upmood's immense potential to provide deep, measurable insights into emotional states, enabling innovators to create more impactful, personalized, and emotionally intelligent interactive experiences and smart environments.

Thank you!

Our heartfelt thanks go to Marcus Farr, Andrea Macruz, and Alexandre Ulson from Tongji University and Centro Universitario Belas Artes for their visionary research and invaluable partnership in pushing the boundaries of human-environment interaction.

If you're interested in conducting your own emotion-driven research or trying out Upmood products, please send us an email at support@upmood.com.