A complete introduction to the exhibition process

CORE CONCEPT

Regarding breathing

On average, humans take 23,000 breaths each day of their lives. Yet this most essential life-sustaining physiological activity has become a background sound we tend to ignore most easily. We care about our physical health and muscle fatigue, but we forget the most direct and fragile connection between our lungs and the outside world.

This installation is designed to break this physiological inertia. By providing the audience with a closed and pure 90-second immersive space, it draws breathing out from the subconscious and turns it into a visible form. Combined with performing arts, it simulates the breathing rhythm of the world and offers the audience an immersive performance experience.

Breathing is not a choice.

We set up a lottery box to randomly assign identities and countries. This aims to simulate the reality that people cannot choose their own birth, origin, or social background. Through this random mechanism, participants are encouraged to directly experience the fact that identity is not a matter of personal choice, thereby reflecting on issues of fairness and the randomness of fate.

Focus on breathing.

For the 90-second enclosed environment experience, we specifically designed a small, confined space to eliminate visual distractions. Surround sound is used to create an immersive environment for the audience.
Feel the breathing.

feel about breathing.

We used six different concentrations of safe odor solutions, diffused through air humidifiers so that the scents spread with visible mist in the space. By visualizing the “air,” participants can not only smell the scents but also see the movement of their breath, enhancing both sensory perception and immersion.
See the breath.

Thinking about breathing

In this part, we added a reflection on breathing, encouraging the audience to feel the meaning of each breath. At the same time, it invites gentle awareness that people live in different environments and experience air quality in different ways.

Key words: Device Design

Immersion
Scene recreation
Interactivity
Narrative
Spatial flow
Sensory experience
Atmosphere
Tech integration
Multimedi
Spatial layering
Visual guidance

 

 

video

The video provides a complete introduction to our process

photo

 

FUTURE PLAN

Gameification development

By introducing a “Challenge-Reward” mechanism, the installation transforms the audience from passive observers into active participants:

1. Stability Quest
Goal-Oriented: Sets an ideal breathing range to provide clear operational guidance.
Flow Feedback: Uses visual purification (color shifts) to induce a “Flow” state, enabling proactive physical and mental regulation.

2. Energy Collection
Embodiment: Translates abstract breath into physical “thrust,” making the interaction feel tangible.
Immersion: Particle explosions upon hitting targets create “peak experiences,” ensuring high engagement throughout the 90-second session.

 

Immersive Scenarization

Multi-sensory Immersive Environment Construction
Enhancing user presence within specific narrative scenarios through visual interference and ambient soundscapes.

1. Visual Feedback: Screen Flash
Trigger: Linked to peaks in breathing frequency or system anomalies (e.g., hyperventilation).
Function: Establishing physical-grade sensory pressure to reinforce the real-time feedback of respiratory actions.

2. Spatial: Urban Ambience
Soundscape Design: Introducing authentic urban samples, including industrial noise floor, distant sirens, and wind.
Dynamic Control: The urban ambient sound scales dynamically according to the user’s respiratory state:
Focus State: Background noise gradually fades out, leaving only the user breath.
Anxiety State: Urban ambience volume rises , creating a “swallowed” environment.

After this exhibition, I began to consider the relationship between the interaction of the field space and people.

Because this exbihition, i further realized that audience participation is not an optional addition to an exhibition, but a crucial element that enables the entire event to take shape and become complete. It is precisely the audience’s engagement within the space that activates what would otherwise be a static display, transforming it into a continuous process of meaning-making. Interaction itself becomes part of the content, and in some ways even goes beyond the intended expression of the exhibits.

At the same time, this participation is not merely a form of physical involvement; more importantly, it generates focus and reflection throughout the process. As viewers pause, experience, and respond within the space, an internal awareness is gradually awakened—they begin to reflect on their relationship with the environment and recognize themselves as both participants and constructors of meaning. It is through this focused engagement that thought deepens and emotions begin to settle.

Therefore, the value of an exhibition lies not only in its visual or formal impact, but in its ability to encourage viewers to enter a state of active perception and reflection. The interaction between space, installations, and people forms an open system in which each act of participation continuously enriches its meaning. In this sense, the understanding and experience generated through the process are often more significant than the final outcome itself.

REFERENCE:

Classen, C., Howes, D. and Synnott, A. (2002) Aroma. Routledge. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203428887.
Smells can awaken people’s self-awareness, environmental awareness and reflection on social identity

《Notes on Sculpture Part I & II》
The better new work takes relationships out of the work and makes them a function of space, light, and the viewer’s field of vision. The object is but one of the terms in the newer aesthetic.

Art and Objecthood
Theatricality as the essence of installation

Apr 23, 2026

Small screen touch designer and video interaction

To make the breathing more noticeable, we used two electronic screens. The smaller screen is used to convey interaction prompts, and our small screen also uses a breathing sensor for interaction.

 

• To enhance the overall experience, we provide users with guiding prompts. The real-time audio stream is deconstructed into geometric fluctuations, while the background patterns represent the physical form of sound within a digital field. This serves as a simplified, gamified expression, allowing users to perceive the meaning conveyed by the installation in a more multidimensional way as they follow the guidance.

This work features a TouchDesigner-based generative system driven by the music of six nations. It uses audio analysis algorithms to map rhythmic data onto dynamic geometric forms, resulting in a post-produced audiovisual narrative that explores cross-cultural themes through synchronized media.

video design

Keep breathing.

Now, place one hand on your chest.

Can you feel the movement?

Notice the air entering your body.

Notice the air leaving your body.

Move your hand to your throat.

Can you feel the air passing through?

Now slow down.

Take a deeper breath.

This is your breath.

Or is it?

What shapes your breathing
Can you control it?
Or are you following it?

 

Touchdesigner2  Note:Assistance from AI and professional td teachers

• Data is transmitted through the main TouchDesigner (TD) file using port 7001, while another TD file receives the data on the same port (7001).

Node Logic Description

Ramp 1 & 2: Generate horizontal and vertical gradients respectively (commonly representing U and V coordinates).

Reorder 1: Combines the two gradients into a single RG image. From the preview, the horizontal gradient is mapped to the red channel (R), and the vertical gradient is mapped to the green channel (G).

Point Transform 1: A node used to process coordinate data. It takes the combined coordinate information from the Reorder node and applies transformations such as rotation, scaling, or translation.

Visual Post-Processing

Through nodes such as RGB Key, Bloom, and Transform, the original particle data undergoes color filtering and visual enhancement, improving the overall visual quality and lighting effects.

Input & Control Layer

Using Keyboard In and Slider components, real-time adjustments can be made to particle physical properties, such as gravity, velocity, and mass.

Simulation Engine

The core node is particles-Gpu , which performs large-scale particle position and behavior calculations on the GPU, enabling efficient and high-performance particle simulation.

REFERENCE

Reactive GPU Particles – TouchDesigner Tutorial 052

Audio-reactive psychedelic visuals | TouchDesigner Beginner Tutorial

Apr 19, 2026

• Rapid Odor Removal and Disinfection Plan for Indoor Spaces -A Combined “Physical + Chemical” MethodImplementation Steps:
• 1. Three-Step Method
  To achieve the best results, it is recommended to follow the order below:• Step 1:
• Spray Alcohol on Surfaces (Eliminate the Source of Bacteria)
Fill a spray bottle with 75% alcohol and spray the surfaces of objects within the space.
• Principle: Odors often originate from bacterial decomposition. Alcohol cuts off the biological activity that produces odors at the source.• Step 2:
• Air Freshener (Neutralize and Mask Odors)
About 1 minute after spraying alcohol, spray an air freshener into the air.
• Recommendation: Prefer products containing isopropyl methyl phenol or natural essential oil ingredients, rather than purely fragrance-based sprays, as these provide better chemical neutralization.• Step 3:
• Strong Fan Airflow (Expel Odors)
Finally, turn on a fan at high speed, blowing toward the door or window.
  • Principle: The fan does more than just disperse air—it accelerates the evaporation of alcohol and freshener while creating negative pressure, forcing air containing odor molecules out of the room.
  Safety ReminderStrictly avoid open flames:
• 
When spraying alcohol throughout a room, the alcohol concentration in the air can increase rapidly. Do not light fires or smoke, and ensure the fan is not old or producing electrical sparks.
  Do not rely excessively on alcohol misting:
Alcohol is mainly intended for surface disinfection. If the goal is only odor removal, avoid spraying large amounts of alcohol into the air for long periods (inhaling excessive alcohol vapor may cause dizziness). The focus should be on ventilation using the fan.

 

Performance process

Apr 19, 2026

Details of the device design process 1

“Since it had been the group that submitted the overall content before, there were sometimes parts that were duplicated.”

• The model was submitted for 3D printing and then underwent painting treatment at the end.

• Since the pressure sensor was located in the abdominal area, it disrupted the immersive experience of the project. Moreover, there were some issues with the sensitivity test of the pressure sensor, which did not meet the requirements of the project. Therefore, we decided to switch to a breathing sensor.

• Cut the wooden board by hand and drill holes using the wood workshop.Collecting waste materials in the metal workshop

• Regarding the airbags, we initially attempted to use TPU fabric, but the result was extremely unsatisfactory. Now we have switched to using transparent balloons instead.

 

• For the pre-rendered effect images

 

The part that needs the most improvement is the issue of data communication for the sensors.

• After collecting and testing a large amount of data, we decided to use a breathing sensor to capture the tiny “airflow fluctuations”.
  When the user wears the mask and breathes, the air pressure inside the mask and at the nasal cavity will undergo subtle fluctuations as they exhale. This sensor is equipped with a high-precision pressure sensing element inside, specifically designed to “sense” these changes.
  The data will be transmitted to the computer via BLE 4.0 (Low Energy Bluetooth). The device part requires that the data be transmitted to our touchdesigner in real time.
• Annotation: Coding based on AI

• First, the serial communication is initialized by setting the port to COM5 and the baud rate to 57600, which is used to receive data sent from the sensor. At the same time, the listening port of TouchDesigner is set to 7000 so that the parsed data can be transmitted later. Since the sensor outputs a continuous stream of bytes without explicit boundaries, a specific marker is required to divide the data into frames. In the program, the received byte is checked to determine whether it equals b'\xf0', which serves as the frame header. Once this marker is detected, a new data frame is considered to have started. The subsequent bytes are then read according to the predefined data format and further parsed and processed. In this way, complete data frames can be accurately extracted from the continuous data stream, ensuring the correctness of data transmission and processing.

• The parsed data (such as wave_value) is sent out via client.send_message.

Core logic summary:Receive raw bytes → identify the 0xF0 frame header → calculate Pa (pressure value) according to the protocol → package and send it to TD.

The complete code is as follows: After the logical framework is completed, it is assisted by AI

 

Apr 19, 2026

20262/25

• Passport
  Edinburgh → East Asia → Shanghai → South Asia → India → Europe → Berlin → Africa → Cairo → Americas → Rio de Janeiro
• Technology
  – Sound capture (microphone)
  – Pressure sensor (abdominal compression)-Depends on which modules are purchased
  – Exhaled gas (fan speed)
  – Heart rate
• Gas
  – Incense perfume
  – Air humidifier – output intensity controllable via app
• Particles
  – Visual effects (available for purchase via Tb)
  – Data input for post-production debugging
• Mask
  – Selection and purchase of styles
  – Flexible tube
• Region
  – Dynamic video
• Note
  The airbag section is temporarily removed as a reflection, and additional content will be added to the report.

Issues to be resolved in the next group meeting:
1. How to connect the passport performance art, and what is the overall process? Need a clear text description.
2. How to arrange the actual interactive area of the customs device, and how to set up the backstage?
3. Produce a complete user experience flow sketch.(Customs area / Backstage / Interactive area)（Three regional lines?）
4. Whether to include images of the generated particle effects in the final output: select 5–10 images for each region to make a zine or poster for comparison.What is the goal of our project to make users feel?

2026/3/6

This meeting focused on discussing the progress, existing issues, and subsequent plans of the art project related to air pollution. The specific contents are as follows:
Project concept and visual presentation
1. Dynamic simulation:
2. Color expression effect: Adjusting the color of the simulation effect can convey different visual images, such as presenting a healthy and vibrant state of the lungs, or visual effects of damage and deterioration.
Sensor selection
1. Alternative options: The team has proposed two sensor solutions. The first is an electronic flexible sensor patch that can be attached to the abdomen, and the second is a breathing sensor that is compatible with the face mask.
2. Recommendation: It is recommended to choose the face mask-based breathing sensor. This solution has a higher alignment with the project theme and fewer practical issues compared to the chest patch solution.
3. When purchasing sensors, consider the logistics cycle (delivery takes 5-8 days). Additionally, a backup plan should be formulated to handle situations where the sensors cannot be used after arrival.
Odor Design
1. Design Concept: The odor design aims to recreate the sensory experience of air pollution. All odor selections must closely align with the core theme of the project.
2. Experimental Direction: The team is currently attempting to combine prank-specific fragrances with incense odors. At the same time, multiple people’s odor perception tests are required to ensure that the selected odors have sufficient sensory impact.
3. Odor Dispersal: The initial plan was to use small fans to disperse the odor within the enclosed container. However, the actual effectiveness of this plan still needs to be verified through experiments. (The plan has been completed)
Project Implementation Coordination
1. Division of Labor and Schedule: The team needs to formulate a detailed work schedule, clearly defining the responsible persons for each task, including passport issuance, odor dispersion, odor blending, etc.
2. Form Submission: The team must complete the form filling by Monday to reserve the project exhibition venue. They can note their preference for the venue on the form, such as preferring a location near a window.
Subsequent Work Plan
1. Core tasks for next week: Complete the printing of the project-specific passport, receive and inspect the purchased materials, and finally determine the type of odor to be used in the project.
2. Core objective of the project: Focus on the issue of air pollution, allowing the audience to truly perceive the impact of this problem; all design and implementation aspects of the project must be carried out in line with the core concepts such as “air poverty” and “individual behavior impairment”.

Mar 6, 2026

Feb 4, 2026