Kelvin Hu

Using the network that we are creating in Processing, our group is aiming to create a gesture based language that will allow for the users across the network to communicate. Although it is important that our language can be understood as universal, and will aim to break down communication barriers. We started by looking at cultural gestures around the world to see how the vary, even finding out that similar gestures have completely different meanings. For example the “AOK” gesture made with the hands means “Okay” in our culture, while the same gesture means “F*** you” in Brazilian culture. Taking this into consideration, we have come up with two sets of gestural communication, a basic one for getting by and another one with more complicated gestures for when the language is understood better. Other sources of research that we have been influenced by are, very exaggerated dances from So You Think You Can Dance (contemporary dance), semaphore (communication with flags), morse code, sign language and Google’s April Fools day joke from last year. Since then, we have also been looking at articles about chimp and ape gestures, and the way that language has evolved. Since they tend to communicate with their limbs, (as well as sounds) we can use their signals as inspiration.

All planning, progress, and written documents can be found on our google doc. Click here to view.