Physical Masko
A sculptural interface becomes a tactile and emotional anchor.SECTION 01 // MEET MASKO
MASKO — EMBODIED BIOFEEDBACK INTERACTION
Masko is a tangible, sensor-based XR interface that translates heart rate and bodily movement into gradual, indirect changes in a virtual environment.
PROJECT INFO 04 FIELDS
- AUTHORS
- Duc Bao Bui, Lorenz Karow
- CONTEXT
- Creative Technologies
Offene Werkstatt - ROLE
- Design Research
Interaction Design
Prototyping
Evaluation - OUTPUT
- Tangible XR Research Prototype
Exploratory Study
SECTION 02 // FROM OBJECT TO RELATION
INTERACTION SEQUENCE
SELECT A STAGE // 04Embodied sensing
Live orientation and pulse are captured without an explicit controller command.Unity translation
One object carries two signals with deliberately different temporal qualities.Relational outcome
Masko is experienced as a responsive creature rather than a technological device.SECTION 03 // TWO SIGNALS, TWO RESPONSES
INTERACTIVE SYSTEM DIAGRAM
Masko separates immediate spatial control from gradual atmospheric biofeedback.
IMU // DIRECT RESPONSE
- YAW
- +00.0°
- PITCH
- +00.0°
- ROLL
- +00.0°
- RATE
- 60 HZ
INPUT // IMU · LIVE SIMULATION
LATENCY // IMMEDIATE
Continuous orientation data maps directly to spatial navigation in Unity.
BIOFEEDBACK REMAINS PERCEPTIBLE WITHOUT BECOMING A SCORE OR COMMAND.
SECTION 04 // FINDINGS, DESIGN IMPLICATIONS & SCOPE
01 // PROJECTION & INTERPRETATION
01 / 04OBSERVATION
Participants often described Masko as a creature, companion, bird, bat, dragon or avatar rather than as a technological device.
DESIGN IMPLICATION
Ambiguous creature-like forms may encourage personal projection and emotional interpretation.
02 // NARRATIVE & MEANING-MAKING
02 / 04OBSERVATION
Narrative framing gave participants a relational context through which to interpret their actions and the virtual creature.
DESIGN IMPLICATION
Lightweight narrative framing may deepen meaning without fully closing interpretive openness.
03 // ORIENTATION & LEGIBILITY
03 / 04OBSERVATION
Participants valued open exploration but sometimes lacked clarity about location, goals and interaction logic.
DESIGN IMPLICATION
Ambiguous experiences require soft orientation cues that support agency without turning the experience into a task system.
04 // MATERIALITY & PRESENCE
04 / 04OBSERVATION
The tangible artifact was described as sculptural, expressive and pleasant to hold.
DESIGN IMPLICATION
A physical artifact may function as an emotional and attentional anchor when the virtual environment remains ambiguous.
EVALUATION SNAPSHOT
- PARTICIPANTS
- 05
- ROUNDS
- 02
- SESSION
- 5–10 MIN
- FORMAT
- QUAL.
METHOD + EVIDENCE
Observation + semi-structured interviews · field notes + memory protocols · exploratory clustering by one analystCLAIM BOUNDARY
FORMATIVE RTD · TENTATIVE, NOT GENERALISABLELIMITATIONS
- No recordings
- Prototype interruptions
- Entangled design components
ACADEMIC FOUNDATION 5 REFERENCES
- [01] DOURISH, P. 2001 Where the Action Is
- [02] GAVER, W. ET AL. 2003 Ambiguity as a Resource for Design
- [03] HÖÖK, K. 2018 Designing with the Body
- [04] ISHII, H. & ULLMER, B. 1997 Tangible Bits
- [05] SENGERS, P. ET AL. 2005 Reflective Design