Virtual Body Sharing Platform, Body Remixer, Links Real Individuals through Digital Avatars
In 2020, the virtual Recto VRso Art & VR Gallery showcased a mix of virtual and mixed reality artworks exploring the theme of "Real body / Virtual body." John Desnoyers-Stewart, a multidisciplinary engineer, designer, artist, and Ph.D. student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, contributed an artwork titled Body Remixer to the project.
Partnering with Katerina Stepanova, Bernhard Riecke, and Patrick Pennefather from iSpace Lab, Body Remixer is an immersive installation that manipulates human bodies into particle systems through the use of a Kinect. By tracking up to six people in space, it allows them to interact with their transformed bodies in real-time. Participants can use a VR headset to see each other as virtual particle bodies, obscuring their individual identities while promoting a sense of connection.
Users can high-five their virtual counterparts, which triggers particles to flow between them, creating a connection. By performing a two-handed high-five, participants can merge their bodies together, providing an overlapped view of both their and the other's movements. A drum soundtrack accompanied the users, responding to their level of synchrony, making it more engaging and interactive.
Body Remixer's connection to the Recto VRso theme of "Real body / Virtual body" lies in its mix of reality and virtuality, blending the two worlds without replacing or escaping one for the other. Desnoyers-Stewart designed the installation to emphasize the unity between virtual and real bodies, encompassing touch, a common aspect often lacking in most virtual reality experiences.
For Recto VRso 2020, Desnoyers-Stewart adapted Body Remixer to the online environment, allowing anonymized users to interact from home. The installation operates similarly, though it is now accessed online rather than in-person. Users connect through a server and are paired up virtually. Through the use of gestures, ambiguous bodily forms, and the drum soundtrack, participants can interact and create a sense of connection despite their physical separation.
Desnoyers-Stewart and his team are currently working on an embodied telepresence connection platform that focuses on more channels of communication beyond body movements. They aim to utilize heartbeats, breathing rates, and verbal communication to further enhance social interactions in both physical and virtual settings.
In addition to his work on the embodied telepresence platform, Desnoyers-Stewart is collaborating with Margherita Bergamo, a fellow artist. Their upcoming project is inspired by Bergamo's earlier work, Eve, dance in an unplaceable place, and aims to facilitate empathy through an interactive dance performance featuring six different emotional and mental narratives. Participants will be led through stories depicting challenges such as anxiety and depression, encouraging them to connect with each other. Touch remains a central aspect of the experience.
Despite the challenges posed by the health crisis, Desnoyers-Stewart and his team continue to develop innovative ways for people to connect, even in the era of social distancing. They are creating a home version of their upcoming performance, allowing small groups to engage with it in their private spaces. By using VR headsets to access the performance, viewers can immerse themselves in the experience while staying safe and comfortable.
Throughout his work, Desnoyers-Stewart focuses on developing self-transcendent experiences that stretch beyond individual boundaries, promoting a sense of unity and connection among participants. In these unique and challenging times, his creations offer glimpses of hope and connection in a world yearning to come together.
Technology and artificial intelligence were integrated into the immersive installation 'Body Remixer' by John Desnoyers-Stewart, which was showcased at the virtual Recto VRso Art & VR Gallery in 2020. The installation, in collaboration with iSpace Lab, used Kinect and VR headsets to manipulate human bodies into particle systems, facilitating virtual connections and promoting a sense of unity amidst physical separation, thus demonstrating the merging of the real and virtual worlds through innovative gadgets and digital technology.
