Statement of Objectives
Interest: Critical Matter, TMG, MIT Center for Constructive Communication
After losing my father to suicide, I found myself immersed in endless questions—the why, the how, the what—and the lingering uncertainty of whether I could have been more present for him. I wondered why I hadn’t noticed anything. It was a time defined by the fear of COVID-19; he lived in China, and I was in Canada, with our only connection being through screens.
At first, I attributed our disconnect to the limitations of technology, that our video calls were somehow insufficient. Perhaps the problem was the limitations of video chatting itself; maybe we needed something three-dimensional that would allow me to see his entire person and surroundings. I imagined having a lifelike robot of him in front of me, mirroring his every movement, or high-fidelity ambisonic speakers replicating his voice and the acoustics of his space. I even considered scent replicators that could bring me closer to his environment, a suit with inflating capsules and thermal regulators to emulate touch to the body, and virtual reality so advanced that it was indistinguishable from real life. I could have cut through the red tape and politics and bought a plane ticket to be there with him.
But even then, I think, it would not have been enough. He had loved ones around him—my grandmother, his brother, my cousin who grew up with me, his dear friends—and none of them could see what was coming, none of them could feel what he felt. My physical presence alone would not have made him feel less alone. And so, I come to the question that drives me: How do we connect with people in a fundamentally new way? How do we transcend what we are physically capable of, with the help of technology, to truly be with someone?
We need to be able to communicate what words cannot express, and we need to embrace closely such that even a tight hug pales in comparison. We need to remove barriers that we are not aware of existing and create pathways of connection never experienced before.
This pursuit has led me to concepts like Gesamtkunstwerk, which refers to a synthesis of various art forms to create a unified experience. I envision using technology to create immersive storytelling experiences that engage multiple senses, allowing participants to embody the emotions of others in ways that are visceral and deeply transformative.
To begin this process, I believe we should make emotions more tangible.
To make things less abstract, we can start with things that we can do with the technology we already have: data visualization of emotions, creating arrays of intuitive visual identities, and mapping them to live-recorded physiological signals. We can record brain activity with EEG, measure heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature with wearable monitors, and capture the tension of voluntary and involuntary muscles using surface electromyography. This technology is readily available, and there is existing research using wearable tech to record these activities—some of which come from the MIT Media Lab. By building a machine learning model that combines self-reported emotional states, physiological metrics, and data from studies of human emotions and sensations, we can create real-time visualizations of emotions.
Furthermore, we can incorporate non-visual perception principles using mechanical engineering (e.g., responsive mechanical geometric shapes to project the visualizations onto and interact with), chemistry (e.g., scent dispensers to evoke specific emotions in different demographics), and sound design (e.g., generative audio-scapes) to create installations that allow someone to experience and embody another person's emotions in a controlled environment. The concept of Soma Design, which emphasizes the body's role in design and the potential of technology to connect deeply with human experience, resonates with my vision of making emotions tangible through immersive environments. I want to take what is intangible—emotions, presence, connection—and turn it into something that can be felt physically, removing the layers that separate us.
The interactive component could take many forms. For instance, two participants could be connected to sensors, placed in separate rooms with installations, and allowed to communicate solely through these visualized and materialized emotions. This approach draws inspiration from the telematic embrace described by Roy Ascott—a vision where technology serves as a bridge, facilitating connections that transcend distance. As an exhibition concept, we could create a group experience where participants connect and interact with others' emotions without needing language or physical presence. We could focus on emotions that have a significant impact on how we connect with others, such as those experienced by a mother giving birth, a person grieving, a student weeks away from thesis submission, or someone contemplating suicide. With improved reliability and validity of our model, and by correlating it with accessible physiological measurements like voice tone analysis, eye tracking, and heart rate, we could develop accessible telepresence software that visualizes users' emotions. This software could also be trained to recognize signs of depression and suicidal ideation, serving as an early warning tool for healthcare professionals or family members.
To achieve this vision, I need to collaborate with people from diverse disciplines—an opportunity I believe I will find at the MIT Media Lab.
Looking further into the realm of imagination, we could explore neuro-interfaces designed to facilitate connection. The foundation of this idea lies in the potential to replicate sensations by stimulating specific parts of the brain. Imagine attaching devices containing electrodes to the cerebral cortices and emotional centers of two brains—both capable of recording and transmitting electrical signals—to establish communication between them. This concept is akin to Neuralink, but with a more specific focus on emotional connection and co-presence. In nature, many plants and fungi communicate through interconnected root systems, sharing signals of distress without the need for movement or speech—a concept that aligns with Indigenous epistemologies, which view all beings as interconnected kin. I envision this as the ultimate way to connect with someone emotionally—to be present and connected without barriers, providing a pathway for connection never experienced before. If given the opportunity, I want to be part of the research that makes this possible, and join a community where people are willing to dream big to facilitate connections and shared experiences through technology.
My knowledge is limited, and this is precisely why I want to join the MIT Media Lab. I would be honoured to learn and work alongside people who are innovating in meaningful ways and using technology to build connections and improve human experiences. I strongly believe that technology has the potential to bring us closer and prevent tragedies from happening.
Thank you for your consideration.
