RMIT Architecture Elective – Artificial Automations Final Paper
Luke Kebernik – Qingqing Yang – Boyu Dou
The effects of Mind Reading and Sensors within the field of Architecture.
Abstract
"On
Elysium, there are many robot servants, and they serve you all day. If you live
there, you never get sick or old." Automation in today’s society has, and throughout
history, always played a role in being a hero in achieving a utopian world
where robotics and automated processes rule our world, making life easier for
the billions of people living on earth. However, there is a lot to consider
when it comes to the automation of our everyday lives, as the affects have both
tremendous negatives and significant positives. These responses to automation
have been heavily scrutinised throughout the 20th century, primarily
through popular culture such as sci-fi films. The speculation created in these
films portrays a futuristic world, not only positively affected by robots, but
a lot of social conditions amongst people. The 2013 film, Elysium, we
see a great example of how automation portrays the current trend of automation
in modern day society. Although the film epitomises a potential future with how
we live with robotics and automation, many automated processes which exist
currently in society greatly affect the way in which we live and operate from
the day to day and this is present in most industries. Primarily, as seen in
the film, the area of medical imaging significantly plays a crucial role in our
lives. To narrow this down further, more specific to an industry that
significantly affects the way in which we live and occupy space, architecture;
we are seeing a subtle yet growing shift in the way automation starts to play a
role in the design of buildings and how architects use automation to aid their
designing. The main question raised is how can architecture recognise and adapt
to a human’s physical & psychological needs?
Mind Reading in Architecture
The
use of automation is present in all aspects of life and it defines how life
with automation can be both positive and negative for humans. Using a few
specific examples of automation in the film, we can see the social effect it
has on humans. Starting with the positive aspects, the technology in the film
from the medical point of view is extremely positive. The robotic machines
basically replace doctors, covering diagnostics to treatment, resulting in all
disease being curable and detectable from lymphoma
to radiation poisoning thus resulting in infinite life for the wealthy.
This exemplifies the use of robotics and technology in modern day society with
machines such a MIR scanning which can read brain waves and make 3d models of
the human brain, detecting and diagnosing a potential illness to the human. The
technology of mind reading has started to play a substantial role within
society today, from helmets which can read your thoughts syllable by syllable.
This is the key motivating factor for the protagonist of the Elysium to travel to Elysium since his
health is deteriorating; however, this is only accessible for the upper-class
population on Elysium. This brings us to the negative side of automation in
this world. In the scene with the automated parole officer, the use of a
programmed automatic response shows us how such a response and decision to the
protagonist’s parole is made regardless of reason and explanation. This
highlights how automation can negatively influence decisions for people since
the robots aren’t programmed with any emotion for varying train of thought. The
overall theme drawn from this involves mind reading and diagnosing technology,
whether it be medical or many other aspects of life. The programs of these
robots are determined by the rich owners of the robots who live on Elysium who
essentially are the dictators of earth and make all the decisions for what
happens on earth. So this also raises a whole political and economic argument towards
automation in architecture, but this would start to deviate away from the pure
design of a space, and the role of the architect.
 |
Figure 01: The MedBed from the film Elysium, 2013
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How
can the role of mind reading, and medical imaging play a role in architecture?
As portrayed in the film, the Med Beds, play a huge role in society, so
we can start to understand how this can be utilised within architectural
design. What can we understand about the brain of the architect as he or she
designs a building? The interface between man and machine replaces the reality
of buildings and social ground. Social structures have been deeply affected by
technological intensity, where the deportation of people and elimination of
human confrontation brings social concentration to a post-urban, or
transnational world.[1] With mind reading
coming into play within architecture, there have been many studies conducted in
regard to how the brain of an architect operates. We are proceeding from models
of the eye and ear to models of thought processes and conceptual structures in
the brain.[2]
The
most influential work of mind reading within the architectural field is Marcos
Novak, who is an architect, artist, composer, and theorist who employs
algorithmic techniques to design actual, virtual and hybrid intelligent
environments, for instance, thinks of this new world of potential workspaces as
one to be perceived via sensor. Marcos Novak had created a digital, virtual cyberspace
of his very own brain which enabled people to be able to see the thoughts and
ideas being created within his head. “in order to communicate in virtual worlds,
one must know how to build structures and activate processes inside another
person’s brain.”[3] If one considers
that thoughts and images only exist in the brain, cyberspace then emerges as
nothing but an extension of our mental space. It is actually an extension of
our consciousness.[4]
The matrix of structures, or Novak’s algorithms, as drawn from his brain,
functions as new diagram: a non-linear array of information. The exploration of
these territories the traveling in data space is what transforms the act of
viewing in experience, in sensory experience. So we can start to gather
information from the creative aspect of the architects brain. Building design can
become more consciously based in evidence of how and why the brain responds to
particular features of architectural space. Far from stifling the creative
process of architectural design, insights from brain research should yield
richer, more rewarding outcomes.[5]
When it comes to automation in architecture,
once again, there are opposing opinions which both pose positive and negative
connotations to the way in which architecture is executed in modern day
society. Much like many other jobs and industries being swallowed by
automation, architecture is a very debatable industry in terms of artificial
intelligence. The idea of automation taking over the architecture industry
makes us question the role of the architect in the design and construction of a
building. The architect, whether a team of or an individual, is the champion in
the design of a space for people, so the overall thinking process of the architect,
with today’s technology, has yet to be completely replaced with artificial
intelligence since the architectural thinking process prevails as the
mastermind of the design of space. The significant aspect of architecture which
has been greatly affect by automation, is how an architect executes a design,
from the subtle processes mentioned earlier, to the design stage, and all the
way to the physical construction of the building or space. Each step of the
delivery of a building has a role of automation present, and the architect
merely is the governing body of the automation in each step. Architects won’t
simply be eliminated from the industry, but the role will be augmented to
similar scale as seen in the Elysium where the operators of technology
prevail in society. For example, the use of such software like Grasshopper
substantially increases the productivity of design through mathematics and
algorithmic design. Such forms of design have been utilised in the past, but
not to the scale by which it is done today.
The next step, with regards to mind reading
technology and medical imaging, would be to implement such a technology within
the field of architecture. Mind reading technology, mentioned earlier, could be
utilised to be able to read the mind of a client, who is trying to envision
their space. There is usually disparity between the mind of the architect and
the mind of client and their brief, so this could potentially be a solution to
solve the disproportion between each party’s thoughts and visions. This raises
the question of the role of the architect within the design process of this
space. Does the architect still dictate the design and add improvement to the
client’s intended brief or do they merely run the mind-reading software which
the client is using? What
can we understand about the brain of the client as the architect is given the
role to design a building based on their brief?
Sensors in Architecture
Further to how certain technologies can be
implemented into architecture, through the utilisation of medical automation,
there are many sensors which can be used to help architecture. What are the
different types of sensors which can be used based off the data from our
brains? Similar to mind mapping and brain scans, we can read a human in many
other ways. For example, our facial expression and our body gestures? The sensors
used today, and which can be used in the future are the first step to how we
could potentially see the future of architecture involving sensor technologies.
First, how can a building detect what we need when
we enter a space through the use of sensors? Especially how our body gestures
affect & interact with the environment of the building? Then that will involve the role of
motion detector, a motion detector is an electronic device which is used
to detect the physical movement (motion) in a given area and it transforms
motion into an electric signal, motion of any object or motion of human beings.
Motion detection plays an important role in the security industry. Businesses
utilise these sensors in areas where no movement should be detected at all
times, and it is easy to notice anybody’s presence with these sensors
installed. These are primarily used for intrusion detection systems, automatic
door control, Boom Barrier, Smart Camera (i.e. motion based capture/video
recording), toll plaza, Automatic parking systems, Automated sinks/toilet
flusher, hand dryers, energy management systems (i.e. automated lighting, AC,
fans, appliance control) etc.
On the other hand, these sensors can also decipher
different types of movements, making them useful to communicate with the system
by waving a hand or by performing a similar action. For example, someone can
wave to a sensor in the retail store to request assistance with making the
right purchase decision.[6]
Moreover, to detect our emotions, the 3D Facial Recognition Sensor could
definitely do the job. As we all noticed
that, an emerging feature in mobile communications is to unlock smartphones by
3D face recognition instead of fingerprint or PIN. Making authentication more
convenient and more secure, it may soon become indispensable for mobile payment
applications and mobile ID. Together with its innovation partner PMD
technologies AG, Infineon has developed a new 3D image sensor in its REAL3™
chip family, based on Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology. It enables the
world’s smallest camera module for integration in smartphones with a footprint
of less than 12 mm x 8 mm, including the receiving optics and VCSEL
(Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) illumination. Image and video sensors have thrived in the golden age
of smartphones, making steady advances in areas such as fast auto-focus,
low-light sensitivity, and back-illuminated pixel arrays. And now the powerful
combination of image sensors and vision processors is opening up new
possibilities in the areas of automotive safety, biometrics, and medical.
Today’s CMOS image sensors incorporate highly-adaptive pixel designs that can intelligently sense, rather than merely capture the imaging data, while being paired with intelligent vision processors. Take biometric applications like facial recognition. Omron launched its Human Vision Component (HVC) module back in 2013 and has advanced it since then through better components as well as improving upon its underlying OKAO face-recognition algorithm. It is now at the point where they can be used to track different facial points to interpret micro-expressions and eye movements, as well as recognize human emotions, moods, and even intentions.[7]
Today’s CMOS image sensors incorporate highly-adaptive pixel designs that can intelligently sense, rather than merely capture the imaging data, while being paired with intelligent vision processors. Take biometric applications like facial recognition. Omron launched its Human Vision Component (HVC) module back in 2013 and has advanced it since then through better components as well as improving upon its underlying OKAO face-recognition algorithm. It is now at the point where they can be used to track different facial points to interpret micro-expressions and eye movements, as well as recognize human emotions, moods, and even intentions.[7]
As we all known, human beings acquire
80% - 90% of outside information from our eyes. Humans’ visual perception
information can be acquired through eye gaze tracking; therefore, pupil and glint
would be very important for our buildings to utilise a form of mind reading, or
in this case, gesture reading and overall ‘human body’ reading. With the increasing development of
computer/machine vision technology, gaze tracking technology has been more and
more widely applied in fields of medicine, production tests, human-machine
interaction, aviation military, etc. As one of traditional gaze
tracking methods, the pupil centre-corneal reflection (PCCR) technique has been
developed and improved increasingly in recent years. Pupil and glint (corneal
reflection) centre detection plays a crucial role on gaze tracking methods
based on PCCR. There are always interference factors such as eyelashes,
eyelids, shadows and natural light reflection in the images acquired by a CCD
camera, which will cause false boundary points around pupil contour. In order
to ensure the accuracy of gaze estimation, robust and accurate method of pupil
and glint detection is essential.[8]
A novel and robust
method of pupil and glint detection using wearable camera sensor and
near-infrared LED array for gaze tracking system is proposed in this paper.
Compared with original Starburst, the proposed circular ring ray location
(CRRL) method has higher stability, accuracy and real-time quality. This method
overcomes the location uncertainty of initial shooting point of rays. The
process of shooting rays back towards the start point to collect more pupil
boundary points is omitted. RANSAC is also omitted for the reason that the
interference points can be eliminated effectively. Pupil centre can be detected
accurately when interference points are located on or around pupil contour.
Improved Otsu method is employed to acquire the eye’s binary image. Part of the
remainder interference factors (including eyelashes and eyelids) are eliminated
by opening-and-closing operation with structure elements of different size.
Projections of 3D grey-level histogram are utilized to estimate rough pupil
radius and centre position. The circular ring area is determined by provisional
pupil radius and centre. A series of rays with equal gap are shot from the
inner to outer ring to detect pupil boundary points by calculating gradient
amplitude. Gradient amplitude of each pixel is used to eliminate false boundary
points. Spline interpolation is performed on the neighbourhood of boundary
points to obtain sub pixel-precise ones. Improved total least squares is
developed to fit ellipse and then pupil centre position is calculated through elliptic
equation fitted. Because the grey levels of glint pixels are higher than
anywhere else, rough glint region is estimated by binarisation with a fixed
threshold level. According to glint’s illumination intensity (suited for
Gaussian distribution), Gaussian function deformation solved by improved total
least squares is utilized to calculate glint centre.[9]
The Effect on Architecture
Humans are
developing artificial intelligence as we think and it will largely influence
our future life in many aspects. Various products of artificial intelligence
are emerged in all kinds of fields, including architecture. If we put the same
willing to make robots, imagine how we can capture what humans think in
real-time and respond accordingly in an architectural field, that being responsive
architecture coming into human’s sight. Lots of researches and practices are
emerged based on response to human’s needs. Currently, architecture only goes
forward to response to environmental changes. But with the advanced technology
in medical field, which scientists are developing mind mapping to automatically
perceiving human’s psychological feeling, we can positively imagine the future
with architecture response to human’s physical and psychological feelings
accurately.
By now, the current
technology hasn’t deeply combined the mind mapping technology with
architecture, while it emerges a widespread use of sensors to let the
architecture respond for human’s need. Instead of detecting human’s physical
and psychological feelings immediately using sensors, architect and engineer
focuses their point on architecture responses to environmental change. Not
discussing the sensor used for fire alarming, air conditioner adjustment, which
belong to building system charged by engineering field, but the architecture
which sensors, to some extent, dominate the design.
The
sensor applies in nowadays architectural practice and research is followed by
Responsive Architecture[10].
Sensors play the role to collect the surrounding conditions, drives the
architecture to adapt their forms, shape, colour responsively. Responsive
architecture distinguishes itself by incorporating artificial intelligent and
responsive technologies into the core elements of architectural fabrics. This
forces architects to reconsider the way they construct the space while to
advance the design logic rather than applying patchworks of intelligent
technologies to an existing building. This
architectural field was first proposed by Nicholas Negroponte in late
1960s. In his work, Negroponte proposes that responsive architecture is the
integration of computing power into built spaces and structures. He also
extends this belief to include the concepts of intention, recognition, meaning,
and contextual variation into computed responses and their successful
integration into architecture.
Since
Negroponte’s contribution[11],
new works of responsive architecture have also emerged, but more as aesthetic
design. The works of ‘Aegis Hypo-Surface’ by dECOi , ‘Blur’
by Diller & Scofidio, and ‘The Freshwater Pavilion’ by NOX are all in the
types of responsive architecture. Each of these works monitors fluctuations in
the environment and alters its form in response to these changes.
The
Aegis project consists of an interactive mechanical surface that deforms in
real-time based on various environmental stimulations, including the sounds,
weather, electronic information and movements of people. It incorporates a
matrix of actuators, which are given positional information by an efficient bus
system as well as a set of electronic sensors used to trigger a variety of
mathematical deployment programs.
 |
Figure 02: Aegis Hypo-Surface, USA, 2000
Changing the form by human’s movement
|
The
Blur Building creates a fog mass resulting from natural and manmade forces.
Water is pumped from Lake Neuchâtel, filtered, and shot as a mist through
35,000 high-pressure nozzles. A smart weather system reads the shifting
climatic conditions of temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and
regulates water pressure at a variety of zones.
 |
Figure 03: Blur, Switzerland
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Looking
at the precedent projects, they remain worthy targets for design efforts, but
they do not take into account more recent developments within the fields of
robotics and artificial intelligence that are used within responsive systems
today.
Combined
with mind reading technology in medical research, architecture may have the
possibility to respond to human’s psychological needs. Human’s psychological
feeling, like the needs for different functions of space, the quality of space
and inner environment can be detected by sensors and to drive the adaption of
architecture to response these needs. The sensors detect human’s facial
expression, body movement, gesture and the mind radio wave may better grasp
users subconscious mind thought, understand better than themselves, they can
transmit these message to the computer system, further analyse the preference
of users, make prediction to their following psychological needs, and give
quick feedback to let the architecture change before you generate that kind of
feeling.
When
it develops to that stage, the role of architecture will change correspondingly.
Architect can easily understand what their client really wants without have
meetings for many times to communicate for the same consensus. The previous
works can be easier to collect useful information from clients. However, the
following stages may have some tasks. Architecture is not only serves for their
costumers, but also need to response to social, urban economic environment.
Comply with the trend of responsive system, architect needs to incorporate more
changeable aspects to drive their design. How to balance the importance of each
elements, how to design an ever-changing prototype to satisfied different needs
of users are those which architect needs to make great efforts in.
Conclusion
Architecture,
as designed to serve humans, ought to develop to satisfy human’s physical and
psychological feelings. The development of artificial intelligence, especially
the field of medical field - to obtain human’s psychological feelings, has the
great potential in architecture that can pump the current theory in responsive
architecture to instantly respond to a human’s feelings, rather than the
surrounding environment. The mind mapping technology can also be applied in the
design stage, which would build a better relationship with client and
architect. When mind mapping develops maturely to apply in the field of architecture,
it will bring a tremendous influence in architecture.
References
[1] Virilio, “The
Overexposed City,” Pages 276-83.
[2] Bill Viola, “Will
There Be Condominiums in Data Space?” Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual
Reality, eds. Randall Packer and Ken Jordan (New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, 2001), 287-98.
[3] Marvin Minsky, “The
Future Merging of Science, Art, and Psychology,” Ars Electronica: Facing the
Future, eds.
Timothy
Druckrey with Ars Electronica (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1999), Pages 229-33.
[4] Peter Anders,
“Anthropic Cyberspace: Defining Electronic Space from First Principles,”
LEONARDO 34 n.5 (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2001): 409-16.
[7] Facial-recognition
sensors adapt to track emotions, mood, and stress Patrick Mannion - March 03,
2016
[8] Point of Gaze
Estimation through Corneal Surface Reflection in an Active Illumination
Environment Atsushi Nakazawa, Christian Nitschke
[9] Website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4721713/
[10] Responsive architectures are those that
measure actual environmental conditions (via sensors) to enable buildings to
adapt their form, shape, colour or character responsively (via actuators).
[11] “The Architecture
Machine”, 1970; “The Soft Architecture Machine”, 1975; and his multiple papers
entitled “The Semantics of Architecture Machines”, of 1970
Figures
Figure 01:
Screenshot from Elysium, Film, 2013
Figure 02:
https://decanteddesign.com/2016/01/08/hyposurface-a-concept-prototype-of-a-dynamic-display-system-from-decoi-architect-boston-it-is-now-being-developed-by-an-international-team-of-consultants-see-blogroll-for-a-link/
Figure 03:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/blur-building-architecture
Other References
1.
Sterk,
T.: 'Thoughts for Gen X— Speculating about the Rise of Continuous Measurement
in Architecture' in Sterk, Loveridge, Pancoast "Building A Better
Tomorrow" Proceedings of the 29th annual conference of the Association of
Computer Aided Design in Architecture, The Art Institute of Chicago,
2009. ISBN 978-0-9842705-0-7
2.
Building Upon Negroponte: A Hybridized Model of Control
Suitable for A Responsive Architecture , Tristan d’Estrée Sterk (2003)
3.
Toward Responsive
Architectures By Philip Beesley, Sachiko Hirosue and Jim Ruxton
