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| report:soa [2026/04/12 00:33] – [2.2.3 Participatory Public Art] team5 | report:soa [2026/04/20 18:03] (current) – [2.3.1 Loneliness in public spaces] epsatisep |
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| - **Research:** Academic studies and technical documentation covering loneliness in urban environments, velostat as a pressure-sensing material, the ESP32 microcontroller family, CAN bus communication and addressable LED components. | - **Research:** Academic studies and technical documentation covering loneliness in urban environments, velostat as a pressure-sensing material, the ESP32 microcontroller family, CAN bus communication and addressable LED components. |
| - **Comparative analysis:** A structured overview of the products, installations, and sources reviewed in this chapter, summarising their relevance to Connect. | - **Comparative analysis:** A structured overview of the products, installations, and sources reviewed in this chapter, summarising their relevance to Connect. |
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| ==== 2.2 Products ==== | ==== 2.2 Products ==== |
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| === 2.2.1 Interactive urban light installations === | === 2.2.1 Interactive urban light installations === |
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| Kinetic particles is an interactive art installation that connects human physical movement with digital projections [(kinetic-particles)]. By using cameras and deep learning technology, the system tracks the body movements of performers and audience members in real-time, as illustrated in Figure {{ref>fig:kinetac}}. This tracking data is then used to control words and letters that are projected onto the walls of the room. When people move, their gestures (like the speed of their wrists) act like a force that pushes the projected text around, turning the words into moving particles. The project is designed to be an immersive experience where multiple people can explore the connection between their physical actions and the digital environment, allowing them to collaborate and interact with each other. | Kinetic particles is an interactive art installation that connects human physical movement with digital projections [(kinetic_particles)]. By using cameras and deep learning technology, the system tracks the body movements of performers and audience members in real-time, as illustrated in Figure {{ref>fig:kinetac}}. This tracking data is then used to control words and letters that are projected onto the walls of the room. When people move, their gestures (like the speed of their wrists) act like a force that pushes the projected text around, turning the words into moving particles. The project is designed to be an immersive experience where multiple people can explore the connection between their physical actions and the digital environment, allowing them to collaborate and interact with each other. |
| This article is highly relevant to our research because both projects use technology to create a shared, physical experience rather than isolating people. In the "Kinetic particles" installation, multiple spectators can simultaneously interact with an immersive digital environment. The authors note that this collective setup invites people to collaborate and synchronize their movements. This directly connects to our idea of blending passengers' light colors in the metro. Additionally, the project demonstrates that giving intuitive, real-time visual feedback based on physical actions creates a lively and organic interaction. We can use these findings as proof that interactive design can effectively pull people out of their digital bubbles and connect them with strangers. | This article is highly relevant to our research because both projects use technology to create a shared, physical experience rather than isolating people. In the "Kinetic particles" installation, multiple spectators can simultaneously interact with an immersive digital environment. The authors note that this collective setup invites people to collaborate and synchronize their movements. This directly connects to our idea of blending passengers' light colors in the metro. Additionally, the project demonstrates that giving intuitive, real-time visual feedback based on physical actions creates a lively and organic interaction. We can use these findings as proof that interactive design can effectively pull people out of their digital bubbles and connect them with strangers. |
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| <figure fig:kinetac> | <figure fig:kinetac> |
| {{ :report:pictures_product_1.png?direct&400 |}} | {{ :report:pictures_product_1.png?direct&400 |}} |
| <caption>Kinetic Particles installation: text particles responding to audience movement [(kinetic-particles)]</caption> | <caption>Kinetic Particles installation: text particles responding to audience movement [(kinetic_particles)]</caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
| <figure fig:keitai> | <figure fig:keitai> |
| {{ :report:pictures_product_2.png?direct&400 |}} | {{ :report:pictures_product_2.png?direct&400 |}} |
| <caption>Kinetic particle installation [(numa2009keitai)]</caption> | <caption>Project installation [(numa2009keitai)]</caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
| </WRAP> | </WRAP> |
| === 2.3.1 Loneliness in public spaces === | === 2.3.1 Loneliness in public spaces === |
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| A central motivation behind Connect is the observation that people in dense urban environments such as metro carriages, often feel more disconnected from those around them, not less. This paradox is supported by the research article “Lonely in a crowd”[(hammoud2021)], who investigated the real-time relationship between loneliness and the social environment, published in Scientific Reports. Using a smartphone-based assessment method, 756 participants across multiple countries reported their momentary feelings of loneliness up to three times daily over 14 days, alongside observations about their immediate environment [(hammoud2021)]. | A central motivation behind Connect is the observation that people in dense urban environments such as metro carriages, often feel more disconnected from those around them, not less. This paradox is supported by the research article “Lonely in a crowd” [(Hammoud2021)], who investigated the real-time relationship between loneliness and the social environment, published in Scientific Reports. Using a smartphone-based assessment method, 756 participants across multiple countries reported their momentary feelings of loneliness up to three times daily over 14 days, alongside observations about their immediate environment [(Hammoud2021)]. |
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| The study found that perceived overcrowding was positively associated with loneliness (OR: 1.39), meaning that being surrounded by many people did not reduce feelings of isolation, it increased them. In contrast, perceived social inclusivity, defined as feeling welcome, feeling that others would help you, and sensing shared values with those nearby, was significantly associated with lower loneliness (OR: 0.79). Contact with nature similarly reduced loneliness (OR: 0.72), and the two effects amplified each other when combined [(hammoud2021)]. | The study found that perceived overcrowding was positively associated with loneliness (OR: 1.39), meaning that being surrounded by many people did not reduce feelings of isolation, it increased them. In contrast, perceived social inclusivity, defined as feeling welcome, feeling that others would help you, and sensing shared values with those nearby, was significantly associated with lower loneliness (OR: 0.79). Contact with nature similarly reduced loneliness (OR: 0.72), and the two effects amplified each other when combined [(Hammoud2021)]. |
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| The findings from this study highlights the problem we want to solve with our project. They suggest that placing people in proximity to one another is not enough to create a sense of belonging, what matters is whether people feel acknowledged and included by those around them [(hammoud2021)]. We aspire to address this by creating a shared experience that makes the presence of fellow passengers visible and meaningful, without requiring explicit social interaction. Rather than demanding conversation or eye contact, it uses light as a medium to signal to passengers that they are part of a collective moment. | The findings from this study highlights the problem we want to solve with our project. They suggest that placing people in proximity to one another is not enough to create a sense of belonging, what matters is whether people feel acknowledged and included by those around them [(Hammoud2021)]. We aspire to address this by creating a shared experience that makes the presence of fellow passengers visible and meaningful, without requiring explicit social interaction. Rather than demanding conversation or eye contact, it uses light as a medium to signal to passengers that they are part of a collective moment. |
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| It should be noted that the study has limitations. The sample was self-selected and the main participants was educated, middle-aged, Caucasian participants, which limits how broadly the findings can be generalized. Loneliness was also measured with a single survey item, and the study is observational, meaning the associations found do not establish causation. Still, the core finding, that overcrowding increases loneliness while perceived inclusivity reduces it, provides a meaningful theoretical basis for our project. | It should be noted that the study has limitations. The sample was self-selected and the main participants was educated, middle-aged, Caucasian participants, which limits how broadly the findings can be generalized. Loneliness was also measured with a single survey item, and the study is observational, meaning the associations found do not establish causation. Still, the core finding, that overcrowding increases loneliness while perceived inclusivity reduces it, provides a meaningful theoretical basis for our project. |
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| The strip is compatible with the FastLED library available in the Arduino development environment, which is consistent with the microcontroller platform used across the rest of the system. | The strip is compatible with the FastLED library available in the Arduino development environment, which is consistent with the microcontroller platform used across the rest of the system. |
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| | Connect consists of multiple distributed sensor nodes embedded in handrails, each detecting passenger interaction through velostat sensors. These nodes communicate via a CAN bus network to a central controller located in the ceiling, which drives an addressable LED strip to visualise collective interaction. |
| ==== 2.4 Comparative analysis ==== | ==== 2.4 Comparative analysis ==== |
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