Project Description

“Eyes” is an interactive biometric data art that transforms human's Iris data into musical sound and 3D animated image. The idea is to allow the audience to explore their own identities through unique visual and sound generated by their iris patterns based on iris recognition and image processing techniques. Selected iris images are printed in 3D sculptures, and it replays the sound generated from the iris data and projects 3D converted image images. This research-based artwork has an experimental system generating distinct sounds for each different iris data using visual features such as colors, patterns, brightness and size of the iris. It has potentials to lead the new way of interpreting complicated dataset with the audiovisual output. More importantly, aesthetically beautiful, mesmerizing and a bit uncanny valley-effected artwork can create personalized art experience and multimodal interaction. Multi-sensory interpretations of the iris data art can lead a new opportunity to reveal users’ narratives and create their own “sonic signature”, which will be able to trigger a new way of interaction in the fields of art and science.

"Eyes"는 인간의 홍채 데이터를 음악적 사운드와 3D 애니메이션 이미지로 변환하는 인터랙티브 바이오메트릭 데이터 아트입니다. 이 작품은 홍채 인식 및 이미지 처리 기술을 기반으로, 관객이 자신의 홍채 패턴을 통해 고유한 시각적·청각적 표현을 경험하며 자신의 정체성을 탐구할 수 있도록 합니다. 선별된 홍채 이미지는 3D 조각으로 출력되며, 해당 홍채 데이터에서 생성된 사운드를 재생하고 3D 변환된 이미지를 투영합니다. 이 연구 기반의 예술 작품은 홍채의 색상, 패턴, 밝기, 크기 등 시각적 특징을 활용하여 각기 다른 홍채 데이터마다 독특한 사운드를 생성하는 실험적 시스템을 구축하고 있습니다. 이 프로젝트는 복잡한 데이터 세트를 오디오-비주얼 출력과 결합하여 새로운 방식으로 해석할 가능성을 제시합니다. 무엇보다도, 아름답고 매혹적이며 다소 언캐니 밸리(Uncanny Valley) 효과를 지닌 이 작품은 개인화된 예술 경험과 다중 감각적(intermodal) 상호작용을 창출할 수 있습니다. 홍채 데이터 아트의 다감각적 해석은 사용자 개인의 이야기를 드러내고, 자신만의 "소닉 시그니처(Sonic Signature)"를 만들어내는 새로운 기회를 제공합니다. 이를 통해 예술과 과학의 영역에서 새로운 형태의 인터랙션을 촉진하는 혁신적인 가능성을 열어갈 것입니다.

Artist Statement

Every biologic organism has a unique body pattern such as fingerprints, irises, palm prints, and faces. These distinct biometric patterns on the body represent a person’s unique signature and identity. They are intuitive and powerful resources that represent the individual's genetic identity through its microscopic patterns and their complicated networks. Thus, these body patterns, known as biometric data, can provide a means not only for discovering our genetic code but also for exploring hidden narratives in relation with others.

In this digital era, the main problems with the use of biometric data are the misuse of personal data and privacy issues since the data contains information acquired from individuals. Sometimes, biometric data can be stolen for other purposes or crimes, which is a source of great concern in society. Although people are afraid of having their biometric data stolen, the use of biometric data is becoming more commonplace in this era due to the ease and convenience it offers as a method of verifying an individual’s identity.

As more digital applications request people to input their biometric data as a more convenient and secure method of identification, the possibility of losing their personal data and identities may increase. The phenomenon of biometric data abuse causes one to question what the notion of “real” identity means and what methods can be used to define identity and hidden narratives. The questions of identification and the insecurity of biometric data have become my inspiration, providing artistic approaches to the manipulation of biometric data and having the potential to suggest new directions for solving the problems.

Eyes is an interactive art installation and a series of biometric data artworks with my previous artwork Digiti Sonus. It’s an interactive biometric data art that transforms human's Iris data into musical sound and 3D animated image. The idea is to allow the audience to explore their own identities through unique visual and sound generated by their iris patterns based on iris recognition and image processing techniques. As a part of the installation, selected distinctive iris images are printed in 3D sculptures, and it replays the sound generated from the iris data and projects 3D converted image images. The audience members can compare their iris-based sonic results with others, and question the “problem of disembodied identities’ in the digital era through the existence of audiovisual representations of individuals.