FAQ

bareFootandRising

- To serve the plastik brain! -

- Why bareFoot?

- The better you feel the ground under your toes.

- What rising?

- The red blimp does the rising as you wind your thoughts while you knead the ground under your toes!

- What is the plastik brain (you serve)?

- It refers to plasticity that is the brain’s ability to rewire its connections and reorganize itself. Don't you want to get in on it?

- Ok, but what about the plastic mind?

- You might be right since in the first place you are dealing with the learning curve of a brain machine interface. But mind the definitions.

- You offer different sensor caps. Does my choice of “spiders or butterflies” change/ influence the sensitivity of sensors?

- Sensors contained in the “spiders or butterflies” are the same. But, your choice strengthens you in relating to them, so yes.

- Do the “spider” sensors read my thoughts?

- No sensors do not read thoughts only the attendant electrical activities in your brain.

- Do the sensors influence my brain?
- No, there is absolutely no emission from the sensors, they are completely passive.

They only “read” the on-going and varying electrical discharges in the hemispheres and as such the coherence of activity in your brain as you do the thinking.

- What are the hemispheres you mentioned?

- The brain parallels the symmetrical division of your body with its left and right regions, i.e. left and right hemispheres.

- What is coherence?

- It is the grade of similarity of brain activity of the two hemispheres.

- How can I influence coherence?

- Surely you are aware that counting or reciting poetry involve you differently. The difference of your involvement shows in your brain. Try to focus on themes and see how the blimp reacts.

Observe screen and try themes

- What am I experimenting with?
- Yourself! A robot!

- If I achieve better coherence between the hemispheres of my brain and remote control blimp do I get a cookie?
- No, no cookies! Would you like a glass of water? With bubbles?

- Is there a new me then via an intimate relationship with technology? Sorry for asking!

- The novelty of the interface wears off but how very observant of you to focus on its intimacy!

- Does this experiment have any dangerous effects or consequences?
- In a physical or medical sense there is no danger, none. Maybe the dangers you can associate with thinking/ changing attitude?

- Why a vest?

- The better to place the blue tooth transmitter and enable you to freely move around the playground.


- What is the sand (or fine gravel?) for?
- The sand (or fine gravel?) is here to remind you of your toes.

The sand (or fine gravel?) is here to help you mind your toes. It also shows you where the playground is.


- What is that zzz… noise?
- The noise comes from the propellers of the blimp.

- Why did you choose a blimp?
- Because it floats just like one's thoughts.

- Are there other robots?
- You find out in due time.

- Is this a medical experiment?
- It is not about health rather about well being. Don't you like playing telekinesis? Don't you like your other-self running around?

- Is this a scientific experiment?
- No, we do not experiment with you. You experiment with a knowledge of yourself for yourself, a bit like learning to walk. A brain is more than a headache!

- What does a successful experiment bring to me?

- The first steps toward a plastik mind?/ enhanced coexistence of your brain and mind? A heartfelt relationship with new technology?/ bodily extension? Enhanced truce with yourself? Enhanced control by conscious perception? Regain control over perception?

Let me quote/ show an email response of a previous participant, Tatjana Ganser:
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:29:05 +0200
From: tatjana
To: rolland@c3.hu
Subject: IAP exhibition Double Bubble

Hallo Herr Pereszlenyi,

As promised my experiences. Thank you, to begin with. It was quite entertaining. Following your suggestion, I have tried to think of themes with different moods. First, I thought I had mastered left and right movement (left- something funny, right - more romantic), however I was only able to achieve that twice. The third time I didn't get the reaction I was hoping for. Then I recalled you talking about the harmony between left and right hemispheres. After that, it was not a big deal to send the robot away or get it back close to me. When I was doing multiplications, he walked away. Poetry he liked more and walked back to me. :)
I have sent him app. 3 times to and fro after which I have tried to find something new. Unfortunately, I was not able to evoke strong characteristic responses. I wasn't able to become really sad, neither was I able to empty my mind.
As a sideline, I have noticed a few humorous little things. If I was reflecting on what poem I would like to read then the robot was making hectic little movements. For instance, he was circling around in one spot. And to get clear reactions it was helpful to speak my thoughts out loud. For instance to murmur the poem or math operation.
So that's about it. I cannot remember anything else in particular.

I wish you success and kind regards to the Little One. :)

Tatjana Ganser

- What does an unsuccessful experiment bring to me?
- Disappointment? What is your definition of success?

How is the position of the blimp....

Receivers around the playground take care of location and collision control of the robot. (For more on this see end footnote.)

- Is EEG a form of reading my thoughts?
- Yes, in the sense that you use them and they use you, your brain. Where, by the way, many a things are happening simultaneously all the time. If you read it real time EEG is an output and an input at the same time. That's how your mind's plasticity is modeled by your perception.

- Do you sense art here?
- No interpretations before and during participation. Stop "waggling your toes" let the idyll take hold! Participate in perception!

- What is the art?
- No explanations before or during participation. Stop "waggling your pinky" let the idyll take hold!


- What happens with the results of measurements?
- We store them for the purpose of enhancing bareFootandRising. It is anonymous, it can't be traced back to you and we take care that no one else will have access to them.

- How can I acquire results for myself?
- We can give them to you on a CD but to be able to access the files you have to purchase a 3^rd party program called Bioexplorer.


- How am I connected to the robot/ red blob?
- Technically speaking: wireless, via Bluetooth. By your choice to experiment with the interface like choosing between “spiders or butterflies”?

- Can I make blimp to come to me?
- Can I make blimp to go away from me?
As some participants said:
…remembered…the harmony between left and right hemispheres. After that, it was not a big deal to send the robot away or get it back close to me. When I was doing multiplications, he walked away. Poetry he liked more and walked back to me. :)

So try to focus on aspects that involves your right hemispheres and then switch to thinkin with the left side of your brain.