Physical Metaphysics or Metaphysical Physics

2022

Physical Metaphysics or Metaphysical Physics? questions the boundaries between physical and virtual and their interdependency.

The butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in another state. Digitalization has become a cultural revolution, it’s not a tool anymore but a powerful reality and political battleground. Complex algorithms run in the background of our lives, the paradigm of person=user, machine=user has gotten much blurrier and complicated. Humans have progressively restricted their own decision-making capacity and allowed algorithms to take over.

This work shapes an experience that educates the audience and raises awareness of the danger of digital illiteracy. The purpose of this project was to create a connection between the user, the virtual world, and the physical world. This was in order to create a loop between these three elements. By using a headset, the user can interact with and experience the virtual world. Also, the connection between the virtual and physical worlds is achieved by using data in Unity and Arduino lights. Finally, the interaction between the physical world and the user is handled by the user without the headset being able to provide signals to it.

By allowing human to enter into the virtual world, the user is plunged into a powerful atmosphere where there are correct and incorrect boxes that change color when touched. Whenever the user selects the wrong box in virtual world, the Arduino light would stay off. In the meantime, another person without the headset will see it and move the user's hand in different directions to touch other boxes. When the user chooses the correct one, the person in real world sees the Arduino light on and wraps the user’s hand.