UNMASKED
Unmasked began as a simple experiment:
Can heartbeat data influence visuals in real time?
We started by experimenting with pulse sensors and TouchDesigner to see how biometric data could shape visual outputs.
But during testing, our curiosity shifted.
We became less interested in the visuals , and more interested in what the body reveals involuntarily.
This transformed the project into an interactive experience exploring the gap between:
external composure and internal reaction
Project Overview
. Pulse Sensor . TouchDesigner
Tools used:
How it Works
Pulse Sensor → Arduino → TouchDesigner → Gesture Tracking → Distraction → Response Detection
Participants place a finger on a pulse sensor while maintaining an on-screen hand gesture.
As distracting videos play, the system tracks:
pulse fluctuations
gesture breaks
movement changes
loss of focus
The experience turns invisible reactions into measurable behaviour.
Reflection
Design Intent
Instead of solving a functional problem, we wanted to explore something intentionally non-utilitarian:
What happens when technology reveals the emotions we try to hide?
Unmasked investigates the tension between performed composure and involuntary bodily response.
Because even when behaviour is controlled - the body still reacts.
This project shifted my understanding of interaction design.
I became interested in designing experiences that do more than solve problems - experiences that provoke curiosity, reveal behaviour, and make invisible systems visible.
Concept Evolution
01-Body as Instrument
Can the body become an input device?
Heartbeat data controlled responsive
visuals in real time using a pulse sensor
and TouchDesigner.
02-Unmasked
What if the body reveals emotions
we suppress?
We explored the contradiction
between outward calmness and
involuntary bodily response.
03-Composure Simulator
Can composure survive distraction?
Users attempted to maintain a gesture
while distracting media tested focus,
pulse stability, and reaction.
→
Game live at: hand-rust.vercel.app
Distraction videos: unmaskedvideos.netlify.app
High Pulse Rate
Setup
Low Pulse Rate
Working with biometric systems introduced several challenges.
Pulse readings fluctuated unpredictably, making consistency difficult.
Gesture tracking inside TouchDesigner also proved unreliable during testing, pushing us to explore alternative approaches for better accuracy.
Rather than forcing the first idea to work, we adapted the interaction system through repeated experimentation and testing.
Challenges and Iterations