The video above is a data visualization stemming from a NeRF lidar scan of my friend Jo. Neural Radiance fields is a neural network method of creating 3D environments from 2D images. The algorithm works by compositing dozens of 2D images and stitching them into a 3D Landscape. Jo was filmed and scanned outside Chelsea College of Arts. I used touch designer to create a point cloud environment with the goal of demonstration it the potential for data to be used in expressive ways, this is also a precursor to the type of data in intend to feed a design detection algorithm.
Data is Just Numbers – May 13th Pop up
Today, I want to reflect on an intervention I conducted recently, which I feel didn’t meet my expectations due to insufficient time to gather meaningful feedback. My objective was to challenge the common misconception that data is merely a collection of numbers. To achieve this, I created two videos illustrating the concept that data can be anything.
Over the weekend, I dedicated a significant amount of time to 3D Lidar scanning a variety of objects. These included natural elements like trees and fountains, as well as more unusual subjects like a sewing machine and even my friend. The scanned objects, alongside their corresponding data visualizations, were displayed to emphasize that data encompasses a broad range of forms and not just numerical values. Ive grown exhausted with the stigma that data has, the idea that data is just Brain rot and anti human page ranking algorithms. Data has the potential to be anything, it becomes information about anything in the most primitive form.
Despite my efforts, the limited time available for the intervention meant that I didn’t receive the depth of feedback I was hoping for. Without substantial feedback, it’s challenging to gauge whether my message resonated with the audience or sparked any change in their perception of data. Did they understand that data can be diverse and dynamic? Or did the concept remain abstract and unconvincing?
This experience has taught me the importance of not just presenting information but also allowing adequate time for audience engagement to elicit meaningful feedback. Moving forward, I need to consider better strategies for ensuring that my efforts in challenging perceptions are effective and impactful, even within constrained timeframes.