The Workshop Call for Participation

This paper describes the interactive installation Sissy (Sound-driven, Interactive, Self-conscious SYstem) at the STRP festival. The concept adheres to the design philosophy of slow technology and aims at stimulating relaxation. Sissy is made out of 700 flip dots with a black and white side and it responds to visitors’ movements sensed by a camera. The white dots are coloured through the projection of animations. When people move too close to Sissy, the white dots flip to black giving the impression Sissy ‘disappears’. When people take more distance the white dots, or Sissy, appear again. Observations and interviews show most of Sissy’s visitors do not understand the interaction the way it was designed. The competition with other installations at a local art festival, the noise and crowded space reduce the possibilities for interaction. Most interviewees characterize Sissy as being shy, indicating she has some sort of personality, which was intentionally designed. Author