Instruction for the Game Segment of Comfort Control

STEP 1: Understanding Comfort Control

Comfort Control is a collaboration piece by two artists and one engineer which explores the relationship of psychological comfort to uncomfortable situations through a videogame-like activity. You are going to enter a 10 ft. wide cube whose interior simulates a 1970's recreation/TV room. While in this room you are restrained in a Lazy Boy in front of a massive TV screen. You will be prompted with stimuli on the TV screen to evoke such emotions as happiness, sadness, anger, disgust and fear. A camera above the screen reads and records your facial expressions, determining if your facial expressions are "appropriate" enough to release you from the chair.

STEP 2: Checking your Facial Expressions

It is strongly recommended that you use one of the mirrors installed on the walls to check your facial expressions before you go in to the room. Please practice producing facial expressions such as happiness, sadness, anger, disgust and fear. Remember that computer only reads the facial expressions, not what you feel/think inside your mind or brain.

STEP 3: Playing the Game

Get in the line (if there is any) and wait for your turn. Please note that the computer decides on the type of emotion that you have to show, and the type of the image to which you have to respond. In some cases they are consistent, i.e. you are ordered to show happy face when you look at a happy image, but not always... The computer may not always agree with you and it is controlling the chair.

Enjoy the ride.