“Jury members thought that this proposal had found a way for new technologies to enhance the empathy between performer and audience in a unique and intimate way, using these tools to bring people closer together as human beings.” adds Alistair Spalding, Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive.
Digital Umbilical is a project uniting dance performance and technology. Despite this period of "high connection"
our society is experiencing increased feelings of loneliness touching people in all social groups independently of their wealth or status.
Could dance and bio-technology have an impact on the social level, allowing for deep human connections on a larger scale?
With Digital Umbilical we aim to create a system linking an audience member to a performer via series of one
to one experiences. It will use sensors to measure physiological responses of both the performer and audience
member and use the data produced to create a responsive environment that facilitate intimacy, empathy and trust.
The performance is following the rules of a third intelligence: a ‘digital womb’ that has true empathy for
human experience, and senses our physiological cycles to create an intimate and comfortable interaction
(soundscape and light). This installation is designed to be accessible to all audiences and we are aiming
in the future to be able to set Digital Umbilical in unusual places like supermarkets, carparks and in rural areas.
In order to measure outcome we will use a mix of quantitative data and qualitative data. The quantitative
data will be collected through physiological data, breathing rate and heart beat. From this we will get
information about the feeling of comfort of the audience members. The qualitative data will be collected
through interviews with and feedback from the audience members about their feeling of connection with the performer.
Choreographically, our interest is in using the delicacy and subtlety of the body. Listening to
the inner system (breath, heartbeat, electrical impulses of the muscles), both of the performer and audience member.
Using this as a base for creating a responsive choreographical framework, to
bring audience and performers together through the uniqueness of their shared experience.
To collect physiological data from the performer, we are developing a bespoke wearable device for the chest
that sense breath, heart beat, pulse and small chest movement (through EMG and ECG sensors) . The heartbeat
of the audience is captured through fingertip pulse sensor. Mutual biofeedback are fed through a neural
network control software that learns how to adjust the controlled environment (sound and light).
Distribute the performance to various audiences in different locations by using a standard format:
container (1 to 1) format around the world / partnership between different theaters in Europe. Provide
the opportunity to live stream sound record of performance in different place through a live channel
(soundscape/ record of audience heartbeat). Allow for the distribution of a unique experience at a large scale.
This installation is designed to be accessible to various audiences, and be performed in location outside
of the theatre space. Serie of one to one encounters will be live streamed and fed through a general
network, learning from each of those encounter. This will allow for real-time testing/ and an ethical
gathering of data for cross disciplinary research (Sainsbury Wellcome Centre and Sadlers Well), allow for
the general public to actively engage with scientific research.
Actionable insight for researchers in artificial intelligence and computational intelligence:merging behavior
and physiological data. Deepen understanding of emotions and movements, our reaction to physiological sounds.
(ref. womb: heart beat of the mother, motion and soft light)
Universal experience of the womb for humans, collectively applicable. Reference to becoming a super
organism/ collective intelligence through emotions. How can this make us learn more about human intelligence?
Trust and emotions. Interest in getting publicly available data and information/ getting the public involved
in research.