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Ming Shan Digital Experience

Interactive meditation installation

Research project

This interactive meditation installation developed at EPFL+ECAL Lab investigates how to create a supportive meditation environment through human-computer interaction. The project is a partnership with the Ming Shan secular Taoist center in the Swiss canton of Vaud, a place of well-being and energetic practice linking Western modernity with Eastern traditions. A research methodology including field observation, prototype iteration and user tests lead to the creation of a multimodal biofeedback installation.


See TV (RTS) program (8th min)
interactive meditation installation

Multimodal biofeedback installation

The system takes advantage of physiological parameters do generate various feedback loop. Colours produced by the light ring evolve over the meditation phases, and physiological information from sensors generates additional visual and acoustic feedback. The project is looking for more than just individual well-being : the system is designed to induce a group impact. If light provides personal feedback, sound emitted from the different decks combine their vibration to produce a common and global sound inspired by the tones of meditation bowls. To monitor the impact on participants the system display on the main wall real-time visualisation of the physiological data.

Light biofeedback
custom-designed physiological sensor

interactive meditation pods designed by designed by Matthieu Girel
interactive meditation pods designed by designed by Matthieu Girel

physiological data visualization in meditation

Credits

Partners

Ming Shan Taoist Center
CSEM, Signal Processing & Control Systems Group
ASPG EPFL

Photography

Daniela & Tonatiuh

Awards & Publications

Hochparterre

2019, Nominated in the Design category

Wall paper magazine

November 2019

Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards

2020, Finalist in the Wellness category

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