Project Summary:

A machine that hopefully brings back some memories of the halcyon days of youth of the audience by simulating seasons (through wind, moisture, heat, coolth, simulation of sun,  and scent) and some pieces of music. The audience will wear a VR headset or simply a sleep mask to experience the seasons.

Installation Venue:

Ideally, the machine will be installed in:

1. A gallery. Leaving the piece in the gallery can let more audiences experience it. Also, galleries are generally quieter than other public spaces. 

2. Home. This can also be a private event. Often we can be affected by a piece of song or simple rhythm, which brings us back to some old, happy, glory, or sentimental time. That memory might be from a different season than the current one. In this case one can use this machine and sense some temperature, humidity, wind, scent and sound which are only for that certain season.

Background and Concept:

The idea comes from some of my personal experiences and memories of my childhood. I personally value those times in a very serious way. The surrounding scent, temperature, humidity, light and sound from some moments are deeply engraved in my mind. Whenever the similar temperature, humidity or music appears, I would get dragged back to some of those moments. They might already be edited by my mind, but it does not matter, as long as I think they are real.

As stated is how I got to this idea. Being able to simulate the season and treasure some memories with music being played in the background is the main context of the project.

Project Description:

The experience is ideal for one person each time.

The machine will be using a frame system, where 12 straight aluminum rails will be assembled to a 10’x10’10’ cube. This allows the least amount of labor while providing maximum available interior space for the hardware listed below and the users.

Hardware:

1. Two tracks for heat source. These two tracks will be set up diagonally across the cube to provide full coverage of lighting for the machine. One incandescent light will be installed on each track. The lights will be able to move to not only simulate the sun path but also produce heat, so the user standing in the middle of the cube can actually feel the heat. That’s also why incandescent light is selected – they produce a lot of heat. Alternatively, incandescent light can be replaced by some other heat sources as the audience will wear VR or sleep masks, which will block the “sunlight” visually in this case.

2. A series of pipes will be placed on the top of the machine to produce mists. Due to all the electrical equipment in the system, it would not be wise to pour water as rain directly in the cube, therefore mist is chosen. The pipes are connected to a water tank which is isolated from the cube itself. The main water pipes will be connected to one of the columns of the cube and provide water to the mist pipes on the top. Ultrasonic mist makers are attached to the pipes to produce mist.

3. Two fans that are connected to the beams on the cube. The fans are located in a retractable device so the height of both fans are adjustable. These fans will produce wind, which is one of the most important factors for the simulation of seasons.

4. Aroma diffuser. A few aroma diffusers are set up on the floor. Each carries a type of scent. Different sets of combinations of scents can hopefully remind users of different seasons.

Software:

1. An Arduino is controlling some preprogrammed seasons and running them upon the user’s request before entering the cube and starting the experience.

Audience Interaction:

The idea is to let one be able to select the season one wants to experience before entering the machine.

Interaction Strategy:

This project is less about the interaction between the audiences and the device, but more about the interaction between the users and their memories – through the seasons and music.

Social Impact:

This project aims to change people’s emotions in either a nostalgic or happy way. It is subjective because some people might feel happy when they think about their past while some might feel sentimental. However, it does not attempt to make an impact on society in any way.