
STATES OF MIND
2018
AR // Arduino
The project dealt with the design of an interactive multisensory application, involving olfaction, for tourist/cultural purposes. We chose to apply AR technology to "States of Mind" exhibition, held in Palazzo dei Diamanti, Ferrara, by designing a app, animating the painting, and some 3D objects releasing perfumes related to emotion.
Introduction

States of Mind is an exhibition slated for spring 2018 at the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara: it gathered paintings and sculptures from different artists, linked together by their urge to expression their deepest emotions and feelings.
Each room of the exhibition was dedicated to one single emotion, and we chose to work on two rooms, Contemplation and Melancholia.
Interaction with tridimensional objects


For each of the two room we designed a 3D object, either standing or hanging on the wall, that, if seen through our AR app, shows an introduction video to the room and, if touched, release a perfume related to a certain emotion.
Interaction with paintings

For each room we chose the most important painting: if the user sees it through our app, the painting will start moving.

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Contemplation room

1. 3D object for contemplation
We made two different prototypes: the smaller one was 3D printed and provided with markers, in order to demonstrate the use of the AR app.
The other one is a functional prototype, as it will contain the perfume spreader, controlled through an Arduino board.
The perfume spray will be activated when the user touches the column, and the board will receive the input from the light-sensitive resistors in the column.
We chose the perfumes of lavender and sandalwood, related to meditation in many cultures.
Here's the video appearing on the user's phone when he/she focuses on the column
2. Animated painting for contemplation
The painting we decided to animate is "Ave Maria a trasbordo" by Giovanni Segantini.
He's one of the most important Italian painters, and this painting perfectly embodies the sense of calmness and meditation represented in this room.
3D object for contemplation

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Melancholia room
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1. 3D object for melancholia
We imagined the 3D object for melancholia as a solid with "holes", as melancholia is often caused by the lack of something or someone.
Since the room is smaller than the Contemplation one, the object is hung on the wall in order to leave room for visitors.
We chose the perfumes of lemon and cypress.
Here's the video appearing on the user's phone when he/she focuses on this 3D object
2. Animated painting for melancholia
The painting we chose to animate is "Ricordo di un dolore" by Giuseppe Pellizza da Volpedo. This is the paiting that's better expressing the idea of melancholia in the whole room.

