AMNIOTIC SYNTHESIS

a multi-sensory therapeutic experience

4:35 min recording of a meditative journey into the liminal space of a "mother's womb."

Concept:

The womb as the liminal space between the worlds. Safe, comfort, ‘motherly’ support. The spring of life force. This is an invitation to revisit the space we may not remember yet intuitively attuned to and leverage as a place where we can restart a part of self or part of life we’d like to change or approach differently. It’s where possibilities live, where we are void of preconceived ideas and biases. We are safe, supported, and ‘new’ both in the ‘embrace’ of the mother as well as by the physical presence of the other participants in the space.

It’s about emerging from a literal womb into another lyrical womb that is our present reality. It is an individual experience in the womb of the mother, but collectively we are connected by the universal nature of being in the process of birth. This world is the womb of Mother Earth holding us all before we once again begin the journey into the ‘unknown’ - the cycle of life. In the meantime we can find refuge in the support of other human beings right where we are.

The goal of the experience is to re-emerge with a renewed sense of being and possibility.

Description: The person lays down on a mattress, surrounded by fabric to give a sense of intimacy. The room has the lights dimmed and warm; a lavender and Palo Santo fragrance fill the room. They are invited to take either a fetus position or lay on the back, to put the hands in a hands warmer (for comfort) where the heart sensor is located. They have the option to put the heavy blanket cover on to further enhance the feeling of comfort. The heart sensor is connected to a transducer, which will vibrate in sync with the person’s heartbeat to give a feeling that the person is directly connected with their 'mother’ as they go through a sound journey with sounds of water, muffled voice of the mother, and meditation instructions on a background of soft classic music notes. The entire experience is about 5 min.

The goal: To revisit the place of all possibilities where the mind is not yet imprinted with information but a clean slate. There they can choose a new beginning, a new start, a new story to live into.

PROCESS:

Initial Proposal:

Therapeutic Context: Use this section to describe what your therapy will accomplish and who it is for.

This sound/visual experience is designed for those who find music a source of relaxation, to relieve them of feelings of restlessness and anxiety, to calm down or connect with their inner strength. The goal of the experience is to provide a few minutes of respite through sound (input) and visual feedback (output) to what they are experiencing / feeling in real time (based on the biofeedback from the Muse 2 regarding brain “Alpha” activity. We hope that positive feedback loop will reinforce the desire to relive the experience and ultimately result in behavior change.

Interaction: Describe how users will interact with your experience and with what hardware. For now, this interaction can be simulated with buttons and sliders. The interaction can be passive, with biofeedback for instance, or active, requiring user input.

Users will put on a Muse 2 headset and listen to an ambient sound (w or w/out headphones) and based on the activity of their own Alpha brainwave receive visual feedback. The heartbeats will gradually come into the sound at around min 2. We want to see the difference in Alpha.

Note: according to shamanic traditions where they use drumming, a person enters the trance state because the rate of the beats replicate in some sense the heartbeat and the state of being in a womb. It’s calming and natural. In the real world it takes about 20 min to overcome the initial chatter of the mind and then gradually the person syncs with it.

Tech: What tools will you use to develop the project? Briefly describe your implementation plan.

Muse 2. P5js. Laptop. Headphones. Chair.

A New Approach:

The Muse is connected via Bluetooth, which means we don’t necessarily have to be close to the screen — what if we completely took the visuals away from the equation? This would allow us to focus more on the curation of the sound and space instead, while allowing participation without seeing. We can create a kind of sensory deprivation, like being inside a womb.

How can we use the EEG results? Delta, theta, alpha are for rest, sleep, relaxation. How can we use higher activity across these as measured by the Muse? Can categorize sounds into three sections: ambient (water), voice (mother), and heartbeat (self). Each EEG type can correspond to one of these sections?

Can also use the p5.Oscillator to play noise based on results independently of sound mix. Found a great reference below for different types of sound experiments you could do in p5. My favorite are the demonstrations of the tremolo effect, and the 50 oscillators at once. Reminds me that we can try to reuse the binaural beats script.

https://www.nature.com/articles/news040126-17

“They found that low frequencies reach the womb with ease, whereas higher-pitched sounds are more muffled.” What is the best way to muffle sound?

Suggestion on Visuals:

https://www.businessinsider.com/fetus-vision-hearing-development-uterus-2016-9

What does it look like inside there?

Imagine being inside a big, thick, red balloon that's filled with water. A flashlight projecting through your cheek to create a dull red glow is probably a good (and more practical) example.

Simulation for that could be as simple as to realize Ganzfeld effect that David mentioned in class with two pieces of pingpong balls.

https://www.healthline.com/health/ganzfeld-effect

Suggestion on Sound:

ChatGPT said:

Oh, I see what you mean. It's not possible for a baby in utero to hear music in the same way that we do, but they can hear sounds and vibrations from outside the womb. Here are some suggestions for music that has a similar rhythm and tone to the sounds a baby might hear in utero:

"Om" chanting - This deep, resonant sound is similar to the low-pitched sounds a baby might hear from their mother's heartbeat or digestive system.
Nature sounds - Gentle, rhythmic sounds from nature such as waves, rain, or a waterfall can mimic the muffled, constant sounds a baby would hear in the womb.
White noise - Similar to the constant hum of sounds in the womb, white noise such as a fan or static can provide a calming, familiar background noise for a baby.
Classical music - Soft, instrumental classical music can have a calming effect on babies and help them to relax.

It's important to note that while babies may find certain sounds comforting, each baby is different and may have different preferences. It's best to experiment with different sounds and see what works best for your baby.

Play testing with the team:

Mashi connecting the transducer to the P5 to adjust the frequency and get the right vibrational output in order to match the experience we envisioned.

Haonan wearing the Muse to test the frequency change in p5 and respectively of the transducer’s vibration and sound based on changes of the brainwaves and other biofeedback recorded by the headset.

Andi responsible to create the Ganzfeld effect glasses, got the frosting glass spray, safety glasses, tried the idea to cut out diffusing paper, etc.

“While a picture might be worth a thousand words, a soundscape is worth a thousand pictures.” The deeply emotional and vastly expressive nature of sound makes it a powerful art form.”

— Bernie Krause, American Musician and Soundscape Ecologist

The music Haonan created is on Soundcloud, everyone will be able to listent to it on their own phone, using their own headsets to keep it personal.

We’ll have a set of bluetooth headphones but it gets a bit clunky to wear the muse, the headphones, the glasses and at the same to lay down on one side with the head relaxed.

We’ll bring another blanket to wrap the transducer and it seems it best fits to be held in the belly area to reproduce the feeling of being in a womb.

We’ll also have a blanket to cover the participant, and a pillow. We have a diffuser / light - which will serve as source for the Ganzfeld effect.

We are pleased with the results. It will be more of a physical therapeutic experience in response to sound and vibration. The sound is layered with a muffled sound of mother’s voice, heartbeat, breathing, and a soft piano music from a movie soundtrack layered together. The research shows that the repetitive beats, low frequency sound help us to settle into a trance like state due to the way this rythmic sounds affect our brainwaves, from Beta - to Alpha - to Theta (full effect observed in about 20 min time). In combination with vibration and the breathing in the sound there is a real sense of synching into an environment resembling a ‘womb’ and implying a connection with ‘mother’ - a sense of ultimate comfort.

The mattress, the pillow, the blanket, low light and diffuser will further enhance the lived experience.

For those willing to try the Ganzfeld effect, we’ll offer it as an option.

Sound Healing vs Music

‘Music’ is meant to be the focus. It can create an emotional arc, conjure thoughts and emotions and bring the attention ‘outward’.

‘Sound’ can conjure a passive environment or be an object of meditation. It can create a space for thoughts and emotions to arise from an ‘inward’ or open focus.

User Testing Questionnaire:

We will invite users to try our experience on several occasions before unveiling the full experience during the Spring Show. Leading up to this date, we’re hoping to have user testing multiple times in room 404: (1) 4/27 with our guest lecturer, (2) 5/4 with our classmates, and (3) on other occasions as needed. We hope to run a trial in the audio lab before the show. Since we’ll have limited time using the space, we can potentially approach the Spring Show as another opportunity to test for another event or venue in the future.

A survey of questions using the panas questionnaire. It is used as a psychometric scale that is intended to show the relationship between positive and negative affect within certain personality traits. When using the PANAS, participants gauge their feelings and respond via a questionnaire with 20 items. A 5-point Likert scale is then used for scoring.

IDEATION:

What is the user experience? How do you envision it? Why would it make sense to have a ‘womb’ like experience in a collective setting? - Close your eyes and visualize, what would you like it to feel like?

Title: “AMNIOTIC SYNTHESIS”

Amniotic fluid is the fluid that surrounds your baby during pregnancy. It's very important for your baby's development. How does amniotic fluid keep your baby healthy? During pregnancy, your baby grows inside the amniotic sac (bag) inside your uterus (womb). The sac is filled with amniotic fluid.

Artist: Refik Anadol | MoMA Museum

Physical | Visual Design:

Visual Inspiration:

Light | Color:

From the studies, it is safe to conclude that light color and source affect the brain in different ways: warm light and OLED as a source (organic light-emitting diode) is conducive to the activation of the parasympathetic system and lower the stress response. However, they also mention blue light being used (as light irradiation) in therapeutic settings for treating mild brain injuries and depression, but the benefits refer more to the cognitive function activity (as a positive) and affecting the circadian rhythms and melatonin production. The warm light is conducive to relaxation, lowering the stress response and lowering the heart rate.

Description:

Music playing all the time and the experience will have it’s own sound track. (to engage the sound / auditory senses)

2x Fans (to create atmosphere)
2x Diffusers (to engage smell / olfactive sense)
What do we wrap the transducer in to make it part of experience? (to engage the tactile / haptic senses)
Ask Trip about mist, if possible.
Fabric dispersed in circles (to engage the spacial movement / experience of physical space and body)
Warm light from above, corners of the room, through the fabric. (to engage the eyes / visual senses as well as perception)
air mattresses (comfort)
heavy blankets (soothing feeling and relaxation)
heart sensors (haptics, to activate the frequencies of the vibrations in the transducer) - a way to feel their heartbeat in addition to the sound of the mother’s heartbeat - aiming at alluding to syncronicity and connection. Connect with velcro to the wrist?

What do we do for the onboarding and OFF-BOARDING?

Onboarding: Perhaps do a short meditation, audio, sound, etc. to explain this to our participants so they could set an intention, understand the scope of the experience and make the most of it.

Give people candies (to engage taste /gustative senses).

Also consider taking a survey for ‘before and after’.

Offboarding: Have a board and push pins where people could pin the words that represent their state of being and emotions after the experience.

Perhaps giving them a journal to reflect at the end and allow for a quiet space for them to write some notes for themselves.

Maybe we make a little postcard with this project when all is done? They will keep something that is beautiful. We can design it maybe as a postcard and on the verso they could write their reflection or reminders they'd like to keep for themselves from the experience.

Also consider having video documentation for it.

What if giving people an object to carry with them through the experience and give it back at the end?

What if we get a crystal box with different small stones ( and a description which is their stone) so each person could take with them into the experience, channel their intention from their experience into it and take home as a reminder but also a symbolic of the experience.

User Story + Testing Sessions

Phase I. Test.

We tested our experience before having guests over (Room 404). We changed and morphed our goals as we learned more from feedback. We also tested sound in the Audio Lab.

transducer must be outside the weighted blanket;
longer wires and adjust spikes in readings
test Muse with heartbeat - not consistent
couple hand warmer its transducer

Phase II. Collective Experience.

From the feedback we’ve got, we modified the project (heart beat and vibration rate), the setup, the onboarding, and settled for one person experience.

Phase III. One Person Experience.

We adjusted the strength of the vibrations, the heart sensor to sync more with the breath, we simplified to one person and set up the room in a more intimate way. We also discarded the Muse headset and made the choice for the ambient sound (meditation), direct human vocal instruction at the beginning of the experience, the smell diffuser (lavender, Palo Santo), the hand warmer, the heavy blanket, the heart sensor controlling the vibration of the transducer to give the person the feeling of being in the ‘womb’ and revisit their ‘story.’

The intro to the experience, composed by Haonan:

“Hey, my friend. Imagine a space where you can truly connect with your innermost self, a sanctuary where you can embrace your vulnerability and rediscover the essence of who you are. Welcome to Amniotic Synthesis, an unparalleled experience for self-reflection and personal growth by reconnecting you with your earliest formative memories. As you journey through this experience, you will find yourself enveloped in the environment that once cradled you, accompanied by the soothing sounds and gentle motion that defined your earliest existence. The Amniotic Synthesis Project is for everyone, regardless of background or experience, who desires to cultivate empathy, self-awareness, or just need a momentary tranquility. Welcome back to the beginning.”

And added a short meditation / introduction to the womb experience, written and recorded by Andi.

Feedback:

Sarah Rothberg: “It was very, i don’t know, i had a lot of thoughts, it was very relaxing. I feel like you are paying very good attention to detail. There is a few small things… what worked really well was setting the environment, the sound, generally i felt very comfortable, except… suddenly i’m in the room with three people… not sure if this means you should leave the room, or… and then the other thing, in any situation like this giving. people. information as much as possible from the get go or get consent or something, bc it’s something very vulnerable about this, to trust you, I do bc i know you, but put yourself in the shoes of people, if you wan them to leave all the inhibitions and anxieties aside and really experience this…think through that; one other thing i was curious about was the heart sensor, i was thinking a lot about that and couldn’t really understand if this is my heart beat or not so i started feeling obsessed by that.. so acquaint me with what’s going on and why, how it works. I couldn’t really hear the audio so I wasn’t listening to the instructions. Otherwise, it was clear to me, you did well with setting the environment. This was a very cool way to spend 7 min of my life.”

We adjusted the volume of my voice, explained the heart sensor situation to the people, and left the room from this point on.

Cesar Loayza: “At first I thought Mashi was sleeping next to me bc of the breathing, then in combination with Andri’s voice, it felt erotic, but knowing Andri’s voice that is quiet I was laughing, then after a few minutes I felt the bed being like water, not sure what changed, the rate or something, but it felt more fluid over time. It was nice. I can feel my body relaxed.”

Kevin: “Wow, the sounds were coming from everywhere, it felt pretty immersive.”

Zoe: “I loved it! Really nicely done. There were so many elements. It felt like i was sleeping on snorlax. I really loved the breathing, that was my favorite part. I found myself holding my breath to feel it more, was that my heart beat that i was hearing? I was picturing this giant snorlax holding you, really cool!”

Simran: “Feels good. One thing that i noticed, in the beginning, i had anxiety trying to match the breath because my breathing was faster, but towards the end the breath got deeper and slower which shows that I got relaxed. I loved it, I had a great experience, thank you!”

Mashi: “The heartbeat was too fast and too uncomfortable, too jittery and tried to adjust for that.”

Megha: “Do I have to leave? Oh my God, you absolutely have to [pitch the idea to have it permanent on the floor]. I go to sound baths every two weeks so this is… when i laid down and felt the vibrations, this is good! It’s very calming, the energy you made here, a place where you get away from everything.

Two ladies: “It was so good…very relaxing, especially when i was hearing the breathing, thank you. I really liked the buzzing (vibrating). I really love the set up, it’s very comfortable, I could really relax. [Curious about the tech] I really loved the combination of your voice coming in and out and the heart beat, and the transition between them. It feels good, really good. Maybe for the instructions maybe earphones could work or make it louder. At the beginning of the experience maybe to have a recording of the voice instead of the real person. It’s beautiful, I felt very comfortable. This is good, you should try this.”

MJ: “The smell, what is it? I really liked it, i want my bedroom to smell like that [palo santo and lavender].

Anna: “It’s amazing! I liked to stay here forever. I loved the breathing, i could hear it from here - whoever did the audio did a great job - i associated with me growing up and having my sister next to my room, and that brought relaxation and security, so i loved that, then the vibrations of the pillow are amazing, the smell is amazing… the only thing maybe you can do something with the mattress - a vibration - bc you have one hand occupied (with the heart sensor). I really enjoyed it! I wasn’t paying attention to the audio voice (instructions) so I didn’t know about the womb, i never do listen to words though. The heart pulse - you could feel that external touch, cannot describe it. I have a really hard time relaxing, letting go usually and liked the gradual fading, and i would feel like falling asleep in 10 min instead of 1h that takes me, i would like to have that every night i go to bed or nap.”

Suraj: “[The heavy blanket] the most obvious to be bc i’ve never used it, i like to have a sheet over me when i sleep. The heart rate, the pulsing, not sure how effective it was for me bc we are wired to know how it works. The lying down is such a luxury, it automatically activates your muscles and relaxes you. I wasn’t really focusing on the words.”