Quiet Connection

The inspiration behind this project was the different ways of non-verbal connection that form within society. We chose the art of signals — specifically the way heartbeats are able to communicate non-verbally — as our focus. Our approach used two heartbeat monitors to capture each person's heart rate and connect them to two small 3D-printed figures. The LEDs would then average the two signals and create a shared color between the figures, visually representing their connection. We designed the figures using Luma AI Genie, and chose a blank expression as a unique way to represent non-verbal connection. A house was used as part of the display to show unity between the two figures, while also cleverly hiding the Arduino powering the LEDs and heart-rate sensors inside. The models were built and adjusted in Blender, which turned out to be a great way to show how the heart connects people together.