What you see is what you get?
Try it at this Link: https://pandorium.eu/escape
(Laptop and desktop recommended. Smartphones and tablets need to have a strong GPU.)
If you have ever wondered if you are living in a simulation or a matrix-like world, I have an answer. Well, technically yes. It doesn’t matter if the Universe itself is “real” or “simulated,” you (technically) live in a matrix. Your brain continuously creates a representation of the outer world, and you are experiencing this representation instead. So somehow, you are trapped in this reality, which is your reality. Very similar to mine if you ask me, but this conversation ends here.
That’s the idea behind this project. Can we create a simulated simple universe and then act as intruders that violate the laws that describe it?
On the screen, you are seeing some color patterns that they calculated in a real-time process. When software starts, there is only an empty space. This means the screen is just blank. Nothing else but endless nothingness. The computer decides to spread (into nothingness) some charged particles.
Additionally, they are moving around the space. Because they carry an electric charge, an electric field exists in this universe. What you observe on the screen is a color mapping of how this field changes over time. Of course, the field is continuously evolving because our imaginary particles are moving around.
But you are a part of this universe as well. You can interact with the field. As a result of the interactions, interesting things happen.
Think about it. There is a Hardware that can execute some lines of code. These lines manipulate the hardware, changing its memory status. Another bunch of electronics shows as colors. Literally, we are watching the changes in the device`s memory. This limited color-mapped universe is just a vast collection of ordered bits.
I am wondering. Is our ability to build and comprehend tinyverses based on the fact that we translate our Universe into bits and bytes?
How to interact with it
Try to mix it up using your hands. Move your hands in front of the camera and watch how the coloring (the field) is changing.
When you are moving your hands, you disturb the motion of the charged particles. Because what you see on the screen is calculated in real time, you will immediately see the results of your actions.
You can also see the oval of your face. It is floating around the space and slightly interacts with the field. The field is not disrupted, but your face produces an extra guest in this tinyverse.
And the disclaimer:
Camera, privacy, share Disclaimer
This project utilizes a camera to collect optical information from the environment. Primarily, data related to your posture and the way your facial expressions change when you look at the camera. You have to know:
- I don’t save any of this data in any server, computer, or other storage device.
- I don’t keep or process pictures of you or your environment.
- All collected data are discarded after processing. This process lasts a few milliseconds per frame.
If you like, you can record with your smartphone what you see on the screen.
If you decide to create a reel or any social media post, please put one or more of the following hashtags:
#andreasMachairas #phygitalArt #shareAnExperience #phygital