Safe House Panopticon

2023 | Visualization Research Centre, HKBU

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DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF SAFE HOUSE PANOPTICON

Project Overview
The Safe House Panopticon is an immersive visualization project that transforms a cylindrical panopticon of locker cabinets into a symbolic representation of human experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each locker surface displays intricate images of the Covid-19 virus, creating a haunting reminder of its pervasive presence. This circular locker arrangement, combined with the virus imagery, reinforces the feeling of surveillance and containment, evoking the psychological and physical restrictions of quarantine.

Inside each locker stands an elderly figure—half male, half female—engaged in repetitive exercise routines captured from video game motion libraries. This blend of digital precision and lifelike movements embodies the tension between human vitality and the limitations imposed by confinement. The lockers provide a symbolic “safe house” for these individuals, who rely on exercise to maintain fitness within their constrained spaces. Initially isolated, these figures collectively form a connected community when the locker doors open, their synchronized exercises transforming individual actions into a shared narrative.

Technical Narrative
The project employs an immersive visualization system, including a head-mounted gaze-tracking feature within its interaction framework. This technology enables users to interact intuitively with the installation—by simply looking at a specific locker, users can open its doors, achieving a seamless, contactless experience that amplifies immersion. The gaze-tracking system’s integration into the interaction framework enhances this experience by making navigation natural and immediate, allowing viewers to explore the space with minimal disruption to the immersive environment.

This Human-Computer Interaction approach brings a new level of accessibility and realism to the installation. The gaze-activated opening of lockers establishes a physical and psychological connection, deepening the user's engagement with the pandemic’s complex social implications. By bridging physical boundaries with virtual technology, the Safe House Panopticon presents a compelling, layered narrative of confinement, connection, and resilience.

第一部分:項目概述

Safe House Panopticon 是一個沉浸式視覺化項目,它將一個圓柱形的儲物櫃全景裝置轉化為對疫情期間人類經歷的象徵性表達。每個儲物櫃的表面都展示了新冠病毒的精細圖像,形成對病毒無處不在的幽靈式提醒。這些儲物櫃的圓形排列,結合病毒的視覺效果,加強了監視和隔離的氛圍,喚起隔離期間心理和身體的限制。

每個儲物櫃內站著一位長者——一半為男性,一半為女性——他們進行著從視頻遊戲動作庫中捕捉到的重複運動。這種數位精確度與逼真動作的結合,體現了人類活力與受限狀態之間的張力。儲物櫃成為這些人物的象徵性「安全屋」,他們在受限的空間內依靠運動來保持身體健康。起初,這些人物是孤立的,但當儲物櫃的門打開後,他們形成了一個連接的社群,這種同步的運動將個體行為轉化為集體敘事。

第二部分:技術敘述

該項目運用了沉浸式視覺系統,其中包含頭戴式視線追蹤技術。這項技術讓用戶可以自然地與裝置互動——只需注視某個儲物櫃,用戶即可打開其門,實現無接觸式的沉浸體驗。視線追蹤系統的整合提升了互動的自然性,使得用戶可以更流暢地探索空間,而不打破沉浸的氛圍。

這種人機互動的方式為裝置帶來了更高的可接近性和真實感。通過視線觸發的儲物櫃開啟,用戶與隔離的複雜社會意涵之間建立起更深的連結。通過將實體邊界與虛擬技術相結合,Safe House Panopticon 呈現了有關隔離、連結和堅韌的深刻多層敘事。

Principal Investigators: Jeffrey SHAW, Sarah KENDERDINE

Collaborated institution: The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland

Partner: 

Date: 2020

Team: Leoson CHEONG (software developer)

Hardware: nViz with 29.6 surround sound system, HTC Vive Tracker

Software: Unity 3D

2020.11.24 - 2021.05.02
​Art Machines Past/Present, Indra and Harry Banga Gallery, ​​​​City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

​2021.07.23 - 08.31
​​Asia Digital Art Exhibition, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China

Innovation and Technology Fund, HKSAR