karenli6 / showerthoughts

NLP visualization of miscellaneous thoughts that occur to people in liminal spaces

Shower thoughts in liminal spaces

Shower thoughts: a sudden idea that occurs to a person during an unconnected mundane activity. a.k.a. the most interesting expressions of our creativity and randomness.

Our interactive user experience includes gesture controls. This user experience addition is intended to make the audience’s interaction with others’ thoughts more concrete. Being able to affect the display of concepts with bodily gestures helps bridge the gap between the mental and the physical.

The Visual Experience

Developer guide:

Directory and File Structure:

NOTE:

• 'src' is the folder containing final code files.
• 'dev' is the folder for temporary code/notes that aren't part of the final product.

How to set up and run the app & backend

1. Set up Python virtual environment. Enter your python virtual environment and install all dependencies (pip install -r requirements.txt).
2. Set up dependencies for node.js. Enter the src directory --> 'cd templates' --> 'cd frontend' --> run npm i to install required modules.

After dependencies are added, the app can be run anytime via the following:

1. Open 2 terminals.
2. First, in one terminal, run the react frontend: 'cd templates' --> 'cd frontend' --> 'npm run watch'
3. Next, in the SECOND terminal, start the backend: run flask backend in one terminal: 'cd src' -> 'cd templates' --> 'python3 -B app.py'
4. Open a browser and go to localhost:5000

Next Ideas (WIP)

• (suggested by Peggy) add control to allow user to control "strength" of partitioning? is there a way to have the NLP make it "easier" or "harder" to group/draw connections between thoughts? adds to the "things in between" idea of the exhibit and also the physical outside of the showerthoughts room

Write-ups

Harvard SEAS publication

EXPERIENCE SLIDE DECK

Music credits

Credits

Direct contributors: @trifork3, @karenli6

References, resources, and inspiration: @cynthia9chen, (project) lotus https://github.com/vasturiano/react-force-graph

metalab @ Harvard Advisor: Dr. des. Kim Frederic Albrecht, Principal Investigator metaLAB (at) Harvard & FU Berlin

Special thanks to the Conflux Collective