A continuously developing personal project and my plans to bring it to life
as a UCSB Media Art Technology (MAT) researcher.
BirDrone
Flying like a bird while meditating
OVERVIEW
BirDrone allows individuals to use brain activity & breathing patterns to virtually fly over their preferred destinations. This is a new meditation approach incorporating advanced technologies to enhance meditation practice such as drones, Extended Reality (XR), Brain-Computer Interface (BCI), and a wearable breathing pattern sensor.
EQUIPMENT
-
Neuro-Controlled Goggle (VR) with EEG sensor
2. Wearable Breathing Pattern Sensor
3. Interactive Meditation Cushion
(Equipped with a vibration setting to guide various breathing style)
4. Drone
User wearing
all of the BirDrone equipment
HOW DOES IT WORK?
When the neuro-controlled goggle is worn, the users’ regular breath patterns and relaxed mindsets will be monitored accordingly. Their breathing patterns are induced and monitored using an interactive meditation cushion which uses vibration from a built-in motor. As they continue to breathe steadily, the virtual drone will rise into the sky and move to a calming, familiar virtual space.
These spaces could be both images of live locations, as well as a virtual space full of positive childhood memories including family, friends, food, music and gives the user an opportunity to relive these memories. BirDrone may also be used to make real spaces rather than virtual ones, creating an immersive experience of flying like birds over true landscapes using their breathing pattern and brain activities in real time.
All the experiences are recorded and saved; users are able to rewatch the footage on their own time.
Here, the user is using BirDrone with a screen attached, allowing others to witness the virtual world he is visualizing through his goggles.
BirDrone may also be used to create real spaces rather than virtual ones, providing an exciting experience of flying like birds over true landscapes using their breathing patterns and brain activities in real time.
INSPIRATION
How would it feel like to be a meditating bird flying in the sky? For a long time, I have imagined flying in the sky and moving anywhere I want with just breathing. As I learned various technologies in my master's course in NYU and came across drones, my imagination became a reality little by little. In order to understand the principles of drones and to hone my flying skills, I have been flying drones as a part-time job for the past five years and have more than 200 film-shooting experiences. I have also visited various meditation centers in Korea and the United States to develop a breathing pattern sensor and learned various meditation and breathing techniques.