Tanner Teale (is Hello.)

A series of logic experiments inspired by code.

This prototype is the beginning of my exploration into semi-passive interaction using sound. I want the user to realize they are interacting with the piece after they have already altered the system’s behavior.

At this stage, my goals are 1) for the user to become aware of their influence on the sound, and 2) for the user to understand the mechanics of the system by looking at the raw construction in combination with their location and action.

For the fifth iteration of Hair Dryer & Balloon, I reverted back to a similar structure as in version two, but was able to keep the added element from version four, myself.

The video depicts a hair dryer, a proximity sensor, a balloon and me from left to right. When the balloon is resting, it is not in the proximity sensor’s range and the hair dryer is off, a change from versions one through three. I initiate the interaction by blowing the balloon in front of the proximity sensor, triggering the hair dryer to blow it back at me. Eventually the balloon rests, and we are back to where we started.

The interaction has changed greatly from all prior iterations as there is nothing happing without my initiation. In the beginning, the word interaction could be substituted for reaction. The hair dryer’s reactive nature adds animistic qualities that remind me of an older sibling annoyed with their younger sibling who keeps asking to play, but gets denied each time. This is a drastic change from version three, where the hair dryer’s animistic quality reminds me of the killer from Psycho. The situation in Hair Dryer & Balloon 5 turns from a reaction to an interaction when I keep blowing the ballon back at the hair dryer, as if not accepting its response.

My response to Hair Dryer & Balloon 4 ends with me stating my excitement for the performative element that came out of adding myself into the equation. Iteration five is a further exploration into performative design and interaction. This direction interests me and will most likely become more of a focus in future iterations.

Hair Dryer & Balloon 4 shows me trying to use the hair dryer to keep the balloon from floating up to the ceiling. I am unsuccessful on the first few tries, but I adjust my approach with each take and eventually keep the balloon from floating up.

This iteration marks the most change between versions and shows the most on-the-go development. It is technically much simpler than version one, two and three, as there are no computers, sensors or micro-controls involved. I replaced those materials with myself, keeping only the hair dryer and balloon. This allows me to explore the relationship between the two from a first person point of view.

The first take shows me almost pulling the cord out of the wall as I try to keep the hair dryer above the balloon. So, the first adjustment I made was to add an extension cord. Next, I removed the funnel device from the end of the hair dryer to more evenly distributed the air. And finally, I move from the center of the room to the wall where I am able to limit the directions the balloon can move.

Iteration four has given me two routes for further exploration, a low-tech and a high-tech. The low-tech approach explores the relationship between a balloon and a hair dryer without the clutter of other materials as well as adding myself into the equation. However, using a computer, code and sensors enables me to explore a wider range of materials and their interwoven relationships, which could take each of the next iterations into completely new territory. As Hair Dryer & Balloon 4 is merely a starting place for iterations five, six, seven and so on, I expect to use both high and low-tech approaches moving forward. On a final note, I am excited by the fact that this version brought out a sense of performance, something the prior iterations did not.