For my final project, I want to build something that makes the invisible visible. Specifically, the split-second biases we don’t even know we have.
My Idea
I’m designing an interactive system that captures implicit reaction bias through a combination of visual stimuli and physical sensors. There will be rapid-fire choices that measure not just if you respond, but how you respond. Do you press harder on certain choices? Do you hesitate before others? Our body knows things our conscious mind doesn’t want to admit.
How It Works
The p5.js component will display paired visual stimuli (e.g., shapes, colors, maybe even symbolic representations) that require quick binary decisions. Meanwhile, Arduino sensors capture the physical story: pressure sensors under each button measure response intensity, and an accelerometer tracks micro-movements and hesitations. I’m also considering adding a heart rate sensor to catch physiological stress during decision-making moments.
Why It Works
The power comes from the immediate feedback. As you go through trials, p5 visualizes your patterns in real-time, in color-coded displays showing where you reacted fastest, where you pressed hardest, where you hesitated. It’s confrontational in the best way: holding up a mirror to unconscious patterns we’d rather not see.
My Hesitation
This may be too psychological and not “art”, so people may question the interactivity of the “game”, or may not even recognize it as a game.
