This document summarizes research into how people interact with and experience an interactive art project about the default mode network (DMN) of the brain. The project collected data on 98 users, analyzing their interaction sequences and perceptions. Most users reported the DMN being activated during rest and contemplation, traveling to the past, and feeling positively about entering this brain state. The research aims to use interaction patterns to personalize future versions and create a more immersive installation exploring the DMN.

1. Understanding
People's
Interaction
with Neural
Sci-ArtMANUELA GARRETÓN
KARINA HYLAND
DENIS PARRA
October2017
IEEE VIS 2017 Arts Program

3. External
stimulus
Resting
state
Neuroscience
change of
approach

4. One of these rows
represents a
brain in resting
state ...

5. Default Mode
Network
[DMN]
New paradigm:
Intrinsic activity
TomásSaraceno

6. Default Mode
Network
[DMN]
Activities associated:
Remembering past experiences
Creativity
Random thoughts
TomásSaraceno

7. Introducing
science to a
general audience
Collaboration between design, art and
science to engage the public with these
complex and novel scientific research,
thus exploring new ways to see and
acquire knowledge.

8. Default
Stories
Web-based interactive experience that
narrates the main functions of the
default mode network [DMN]

9. Related work
Our work mainly relates to
interdisciplinary projects between
art and science and the pursuit for new
digital means to tell real stories.

10. Jacobsetal.,2016
MacGraw,2016

12. Data collection
of user interaction

14. Users access to playing videos

15. Seven videos organized within three questions

16. Seven videos organized into three questions

18. The selection of the alternative videos
defines a personal story for each user
Sequence 1
1-2-1
Q1 Q2 Q3

19. Sequence 1
1-2-1
Sequence 2
2-2-1
Q1 Q2 Q3
Will it be possible to identify different types of
behavior when navigating this project?
Sequence 2
1-1-1

20. + Demographic data: sex, age, location.
+ Select from the following list, which elements describe better
your personal experience of the DMN?
Data collection
of user
perceptions
* Emotions
* People
* Concepts
* Voices
* Images
* Sound

21. Total: 98 users
+ 49 women | 49 man
+ 59 between 21 y 27 years old
+ 10 between 14 y 20 | 10 between 28 y 34 | 10 between 35 y 42
| 9 +de 43
Participants’
demographics

22. Two different
analyses
To understand user interaction with the platform we analize :
+ Click-log analysis to understand sequences of actions
+ Frequent itemsets to find a relation between sequences of
actions and how people perceive the default mode network.

23. User interaction
analysis
1-2-1 |||||||||||||||||||||
1-1-1 ||||||||||||||||||
2-2-1 ||||||||||||||
2-1-1 ||||||||||
2-3-1 |||||||
1-3-1 ||||||
2-1-2 ||||||
1-1-2 |||||
2-2-2 |||||
1-2-2 ||||
1-3-2
2-3-2
no
of users
Q
1 2 3
Q1. When DMN is activated
in which situations do you find
yourself more often?
Doing nothing, comtemplating 56%
Doing something mechanic 44%

24. User interaction
analysis
1-2-1 |||||||||||||||||||||
1-1-1 ||||||||||||||||||
2-2-1 ||||||||||||||
2-1-1 ||||||||||
2-3-1 |||||||
1-3-1 ||||||
2-1-2 ||||||
1-1-2 |||||
2-2-2 |||||
1-2-2 ||||
1-3-2
2-3-2
no
of users
Future 40.8%
Past 45.6%
None in particular 13.6%
Q2. Where do you travel de most
when the DMN is activated?
Q
1 2 3

25. 1-2-1 |||||||||||||||||||||
1-1-1 ||||||||||||||||||
2-2-1 ||||||||||||||
2-1-1 ||||||||||
2-3-1 |||||||
1-3-1 ||||||
2-1-2 ||||||
1-1-2 |||||
2-2-2 |||||
1-2-2 ||||
1-3-2
2-3-2
User interaction
analysis
Q3. How do you feel about the
consequences when entering this
state?
Positively 79.6%
Negatively 20.4%
no
of users
Q
1 2 3

26. 1-2-1 |||||||||||||||||||||
1-1-1 ||||||||||||||||||
2-2-1 ||||||||||||||
2-1-1 ||||||||||
2-3-1 |||||||
1-3-1 ||||||
2-1-2 ||||||
1-1-2 |||||
2-2-2 |||||
1-2-2 ||||
1-3-2
2-3-2
User interaction
analysis
no
of users
Q
1 2 3

27. How do people
experience the
DMN?
Which elements describe better your
personal experience of the DMN?
Voices|Images|Sound|
Emotions|People|Concepts
Doing nothing, comtemplating
Doing something mechanic

28. +For future work, we will make use of the interaction patterns to
design a more personalized experience.
+ This project was an early stage towards a more inmersive
installation of the DMN
Conclusions

30. Understanding
People's
Interaction
with Neural
Sci-Art
Manuela Garretón - Karina Hyland - Denis Parra
historias.xdefault.cl/en