Trāṭaka is an interactive installation based on a brain-computer interface. Trāṭaka is a Sanskrit term meaning “to gaze” and it refers to a meditation technique for concentrating one’s attention on a flame.
The work is composed by a brain-computer interface that detects the brain waves and defines parameters such as the level of attention. Wearing this device, the user is invited to concentrate their attention on a flame in front of them. The level of attention detected by this system, controls an air flow under the flame: a higher level corresponds to a faster air flow. The interaction process is aimed at user engagement to increase their attention in order to put the flame out. This will happen when the highest level of attention is reached: the air flow becomes strong enough to extinguish the flame.
This installation aims to create a context where users are motivated to explore their concentration abilities, with a “calm” interaction materialized by the movements of the flame.
