Our team at Toronto Metropolitan University's Master of Digital Media program recently concluded The Echo Wave Project, an interactive art installation presented at the City of Toronto’s Future Makers exhibition. This project harnessed EEG technology and TouchDesigner to transform real-time brainwave data into abstract, immersive visuals, exploring the intricacies of mental health through art.
Project Overview
The Echo Wave Project invites participants to reflect on their inner emotional landscape by translating brainwave activity into evolving abstract visuals. Using the Emotiv INSIGHT EEG headset, we captured data linked to emotions like relaxation, stress, and excitement. This data influenced the dynamic visuals, creating a unique visual language that offers insight into the wearer’s mental and emotional states. As these brainwave patterns change, viewers visualize their emotions in real-time, making invisible mental experiences tangible.
Why TouchDesigner?
TouchDesigner’s capabilities were vital to our project's success, as it allowed us to process real-time data from EEG readings into complex, responsive particle systems. Using TouchDesigner’s node-based structure, we developed custom visuals that responded to changes in the wearer’s emotions. For example, increased levels of excitement intensified particle motion and glow, while relaxation created clustering, symbolizing calm.
The flexibility TouchDesigner provides is essential for creating a multisensory experience rooted in colour therapy. Colours were carefully chosen to represent emotional states—green for relaxation, blue for focus, and red for stress—enhancing each participant’s connection to the visual representation of their thoughts.
How We Used TouchDesigner
To create the particle system, we started by designing a tube in TouchDesigner using a SOP (surface operator) and applying a sprinkle SOP to place a million points on its surface. A noise TOP (texture operator) was used to make the particles move around randomly. We incorporated a “life” component, which gave the particles a lifespan; they continuously died and respawned, allowing the system to evolve dynamically. Feedback and noise techniques, learned from a YouTube tutorial by Supermarket Sallad, were instrumental in refining this effect and creating a vibrant, responsive particle system.
Once the particle system was finalized, we integrated data from the Emotiv INSIGHT headset using Open Sound Control (OSC). This allowed us to map real-time emotional data—Attention, Engagement, Excitement, Interest, Relaxation, and Stress—to specific parameters in the particle system.
How Emotions Manipulate the Particle System
Each emotion detected by the EEG headset was mapped to unique parameters in TouchDesigner, allowing the visuals to evolve dynamically and represent emotional fluctuations:
- Attention: The Seed parameter was linked to attention. Shifting attention levels altered the randomness of the noise pattern, generating unique, constantly changing visuals.
- Engagement: The Harmonic Gain parameter reflected engagement. Lower engagement made the visuals fuzzier and less defined, symbolizing a lack of mental focus.
- Excitement: Excitement influenced the Period and Glow parameters. Increased excitement reduced the noise cycle period, causing particles to move faster, while intensifying their glow, resulting in bright, energetic visuals.
- Interest: The Harmonics parameter tied to interest added layers of textural complexity. Higher interest levels resulted in more intricate and detailed particle textures.
- Relaxation: Relaxation controlled the Exponent parameter, clustering particles more tightly around their central positions and reducing overall motion. This created a calm, cohesive effect.
- Stress: Stress impacted the Amplitude and Post-add parameters. Increased stress amplified particle movement, making the visuals more chaotic and disorganized. Additionally, it reduced the "post-add" value, giving the particle system a less spherical and more fragmented appearance, symbolizing the destabilizing effects of stress.
This mapping created a dynamic, emotionally responsive art piece, where viewers could experience how emotions directly influence abstract visuals.
Thank You, Derivative
We sincerely thank Derivative for supporting us in bringing this idea to life through TouchDesigner. By visualizing mental states, The Echo Wave Project aims to destigmatize conversations around mental health and foster empathy and understanding.
We’re excited to continue using TouchDesigner in future projects that combine art and technology to inspire new perspectives on wellness and personal connection.
