UN_APATHY MOVEMENT

UN_APATHY MOVEMENT

UN_APATHY MOVEMENT

We live in a reality of a declining natural ecosystem, political instability, a raging epidemic or not…, post-truth or in short VUCA ( Volatility, Uncertainty,Complexity and Ambiguity ).
When people encounter such cognitive loads, their self-efficacy is declining, which leads to passive behaviors such as: procrastination, increased consumption and apathy.

These moments of apathy are mainly expressed in passive use of technology - or ‘Screens-Apathy’.
We spend long hours in front of screens, and the boundaries between "work time" and "leisure time" blur. And so the moments of ‘screen apathy’ devour our leisure time. The technology giants know how to take advantage and maintain those passive moments by UI tricks and sponsored content. endless scrolling in the feed, video that plays without clicking, the next episode starts automatically and we continue to consume DATA and MATTER.

During the research, I asked myself if the computer, which “watches” me all day anyway, could help me identify these gluttonous situations?

I watched video recordings of people working and nonworking in front of the screen and discovered that using certain platforms and formats produces similar body movements and gaze patterns patterns. For example, scrolling on social media will be of a similar nature to many users, as will article reading (which will involve little body and head movement and repetitive pupil movement from right to left or left to right, for an average duration).
I realized that using Computer vision can identify the same different modes of use of the computer according to the body movements and gaze.

As a result, I designed UN_APATHY MOVEMENT, a web tool that uses computer vision technology to monitor user’s physical traffic.
The apathy meter increases as the user gains moments of passivity in front of the screen. When it fills up - the user is asked to practice 3 ball juggling - or in fact to acquire any physical skill that will create a sense of motivation and help us deal with the feeling of inability. Specifically, Juggling simulates the way we deal with mental “attacks” as we have to keep the balls up in the air, and prevent them to drop. As well, once we get the rhythm, we might get in the state of flow.

I invite anyone who uses the tool to look inward and consciously and authentically decide whether they choose to be passive - and this is true of every aspect of our personal lives and in every social setting. I as a woman, as a mother, as a citizen, as a worker in the labor market, as a designer, I as a human and a being on earth….

www.unapathymovement.online

We live in a reality of a declining natural ecosystem, political instability, a raging epidemic or not…, post-truth or in short VUCA ( Volatility, Uncertainty,Complexity and Ambiguity ).
When people encounter such cognitive loads, their self-efficacy is declining, which leads to passive behaviors such as: procrastination, increased consumption and apathy.

These moments of apathy are mainly expressed in passive use of technology - or ‘Screens-Apathy’.
We spend long hours in front of screens, and the boundaries between "work time" and "leisure time" blur. And so the moments of ‘screen apathy’ devour our leisure time. The technology giants know how to take advantage and maintain those passive moments by UI tricks and sponsored content. endless scrolling in the feed, video that plays without clicking, the next episode starts automatically and we continue to consume DATA and MATTER.

During the research, I asked myself if the computer, which “watches” me all day anyway, could help me identify these gluttonous situations?

I watched video recordings of people working and nonworking in front of the screen and discovered that using certain platforms and formats produces similar body movements and gaze patterns patterns. For example, scrolling on social media will be of a similar nature to many users, as will article reading (which will involve little body and head movement and repetitive pupil movement from right to left or left to right, for an average duration).
I realized that using Computer vision can identify the same different modes of use of the computer according to the body movements and gaze.

As a result, I designed UN_APATHY MOVEMENT, a web tool that uses computer vision technology to monitor user’s physical traffic.
The apathy meter increases as the user gains moments of passivity in front of the screen. When it fills up - the user is asked to practice 3 ball juggling - or in fact to acquire any physical skill that will create a sense of motivation and help us deal with the feeling of inability. Specifically, Juggling simulates the way we deal with mental “attacks” as we have to keep the balls up in the air, and prevent them to drop. As well, once we get the rhythm, we might get in the state of flow.

I invite anyone who uses the tool to look inward and consciously and authentically decide whether they choose to be passive - and this is true of every aspect of our personal lives and in every social setting. I as a woman, as a mother, as a citizen, as a worker in the labor market, as a designer, I as a human and a being on earth….

www.unapathymovement.online

UN_APATHYMOVEMENT is a web tool for measuring, reflecting and motivating action from a state of “screens apathy”. The tool is in the background while the user is working on the computer.

This is how it works:

1/Calibration screen: Users hold different cameras, different distances from the screen and also different ranges of motion. The calibration tool produces the user’s average acceleration.

2/Monitoring and identification:
The main dashboard is constructed out of three graphs (general movement, head position acceleration and gaze acceleration) and an image that enable self-monitoring.

Apathy meter: Apathy increases when the three graphs reach below the average calibration.

3/Call for action:
When the apathy meter is 100% full, the user is invited to learn and practice one of the three activities: juggling, hula hoop or walking on a rope.

The prompt to end the activity is when the user feels "activated".

*I chose to use activities that customers from the circus world because they are playful and fun but also because they all have the element of lack of control - uncertainty
(The balls fall on me, the hoop slips and I can fall off the rope) which simulates the real challenge of VUCA.

**The activity is not limited in time (I do as much as I want to feel good) The way we learn allows us to succeed at the level of difficulty that suits us, allows us to acquire a new skill and thus creates a challenge and motivation and raises our sense of ability.

UN_APATHYMOVEMENT is a web tool for measuring, reflecting and motivating action from a state of “screens apathy”. The tool is in the background while the user is working on the computer.

This is how it works:

1/Calibration screen: Users hold different cameras, different distances from the screen and also different ranges of motion. The calibration tool produces the user’s average acceleration.

2/Monitoring and identification:
The main dashboard is constructed out of three graphs (general movement, head position acceleration and gaze acceleration) and an image that enable self-monitoring.

Apathy meter: Apathy increases when the three graphs reach below the average calibration.

3/Call for action:
When the apathy meter is 100% full, the user is invited to learn and practice one of the three activities: juggling, hula hoop or walking on a rope.

The prompt to end the activity is when the user feels "activated".

*I chose to use activities that customers from the circus world because they are playful and fun but also because they all have the element of lack of control - uncertainty
(The balls fall on me, the hoop slips and I can fall off the rope) which simulates the real challenge of VUCA.

**The activity is not limited in time (I do as much as I want to feel good) The way we learn allows us to succeed at the level of difficulty that suits us, allows us to acquire a new skill and thus creates a challenge and motivation and raises our sense of ability.

www.unapathymovement.online

https://vimeo.com/444816964

www.biliregev.com

VUCA world is a serious threat physically and mentally. Social, medical, environmental uncertainty together with the fast growing technological abilities leave us, people, out of control of our own future. There is a need for control, to uncover the daily blind spots and clean up the noise.

For the special prize, I wish for you to consider “UN_APATHY MOVEMENT” as with my experiment, I wished to democratize the technological abilities which drive people to consume, by allowing people to self reflect over their use of technology, their leisure, their well being.

I truly believe in people’s ability to act. In order to truly address social issues, our role as designers, thinkers, artists, researchers and manufacturers is to make technology and knowledge as transparent and accessible to everyone as possible.