TRU-EMOTION is an emotionally reactive immersive installation. It is an invitation to explore the many facets of human emotions, abstracted and expressed in physical space.

An aspect of Machine Learning that is not as widely explored is its potential to connect humans through more meaningful interactions. TRU-EMOTION aims to do just that. Using facial emotion tracking code in P5, six different emotions - happy, sad, surprised, angry, fearful, disgusted and neutral are interpreted into unique colors and patterns. The visuals are projected on a labyrinth of transparent panels suspended in mid-air in an airy darkened space. The transparent panels act as a screen for the projection as well as creating a 3-dimensional effect by allowing light to pass through. Accompanying music completes the experience. 

The user may choose to have a person or persons explore the user’s emotions by inviting them to walk through this space. As the user sits in front of a monitor, their emotions are scanned and projected in the installation in a separate room. Though the user and the audience are separated by a wall and physical space, this experience is extremely intimate and vulnerable. 

Humans are increasingly disconnected and crave connections on a deeper level. TRU-EMOTION peels back the layers of conventional communication by harnessing artificial intelligence to open a digital portal into a user’s mind.  The project also raises questions about the ethics of this level of interaction and privacy issues - a pressing matter in the field of Machine Learning.