Xing Chen

Architecture &
spatial research

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Collaborative experiment · Independent design extension · 2024

MoodLens

Posture, EEG & spatial feedback

A collaborative experiment in posture and EEG recording, developed into an independent exploration of generative feedback and spatial interaction.

MoodLens cover composition
Original portrait coverOriginal portrait portfolio cover
01

Body, emotion and everyday space

The project begins with bodily expression in everyday settings. Four posture categories organize this visual inquiry; they are a starting point for the study rather than fixed labels for a person’s emotional state.

Upright, Shrink, Expansion and Curl Up: four categories situated in everyday spaces.
Upright, Shrink, Expansion and Curl Up: four categories situated in everyday spaces.
Technology-park context.
Technology-park context.
Shared spaces and everyday movement.
Shared spaces and everyday movement.
02

From observation to five target postures

Twenty-eight postures were organized into four categories. Preliminary survey work informed the selection of five target postures for the experiment.

  1. 28 postures
  2. 4 categories
  3. Preliminary surveys
  4. 5 target postures
Posture taxonomy across four categories. Highlighted postures informed the five experimental targets.
Posture taxonomy across four categories. Highlighted postures informed the five experimental targets.
Participant descriptions recorded around the posture references.
Participant descriptions recorded around the posture references.
A detail of the recorded responses.
A detail of the recorded responses.
03

The experiment

Participants performed the target postures while wearing an EPOC X EEG headset. Camera recordings, questionnaires and think-aloud accounts provided complementary records of the session.

Posture task in the experimental setting.
Posture task in the experimental setting.
EEG equipment worn during the study.
EEG equipment worn during the study.
A participant completing a seated posture task.
A participant completing a seated posture task.
  1. Questionnaire
  2. Pose task + EEG recording
  3. Think-aloud account
  4. Aligned records
04

Pose recognition and data processing

MoveNet extracts 17 body keypoints. The implemented work includes classification of the five target postures, EEG preprocessing with bandpass filtering, ICA and normalization, and emotion classification. The images document different steps in that workflow.

Recognized posture frames and the selected keyframe examples, retaining the original comparison.
Recognized posture frames and the selected keyframe examples, retaining the original comparison.
  1. Video → body keypoints
  2. EEG → preprocessing
  3. Alignment + labels
  4. Classification
EEG recording view. Signal traces and model predictions are distinct outputs.
EEG recording view. Signal traces and model predictions are distinct outputs.
05

Reading across participants

The study documents six participants. Keeping the records together makes variation across participants visible. Self-reported experience, EEG-derived measures and model outputs should be interpreted as different forms of evidence.

EEG records and posture documentation from six participants.
EEG records and posture documentation from six participants.
Interest, excitement, focus, engagement, relaxation and stress: the original exploratory interpretation diagram. The depicted relationships are study interpretations, not universal rules linking posture and emotion.
Interest, excitement, focus, engagement, relaxation and stress: the original exploratory interpretation diagram. The depicted relationships are study interpretations, not universal rules linking posture and emotion.

The experiment produced working processing and classification results. Broader generalization and therapeutic benefit remain separate questions.

06

From signals to visual feedback

Posture and emotion-related descriptions inform prompts for Stable Diffusion. These examples show the visual feedback explored in the project; the collection explores different visual interpretations of bodily expression.

07

A spatial interaction proposal

The subsequent design places the feedback within a technology-park installation. The sequence connects encountering the installation, bodily expression, generated feedback and sharing.

Proposed spatial setting.
Proposed spatial setting.
Interactive installation concept.
Interactive installation concept.
The proposed interaction sequence, retained as a complete visual group.
The proposed interaction sequence, retained as a complete visual group.
08

Sharing and a collective spatial record

The later interface concept extends the experience into an emotional map and shared visual records. This is a design extension rather than a deployed workplace service.

Proposed service flow, feedback interface, shared images and spatial map. A design extension connecting individual feedback and shared spatial records.
Proposed service flow, feedback interface, shared images and spatial map. A design extension connecting individual feedback and shared spatial records.

My contributions include pose-recognition development, EEG processing, user-study design, AIGC integration and the later interaction and interface design.