How closing the eyes enriches visual media
At the outset of this project, I had the eager objective to create a new gaming interface, which I originally envisioned as a 'video game without video'. Intrigued by the perceived simplicity of this approach, I built an initial prototype.
Initial prototype, consisting of a webcam mounted to a bicycle helmet
A wider investigation showed that a) video games without video were already existing and that b) the concept of eye closure might have more potential than I had initially expected.
There are several reasons for which I find eye closure to be an interesting new element in the field of human-computer interaction. No learning is required to close the eyes: we blink throughout the day, we instinctively close our eyes to sleep, to protect them, or if we want to imagine something. Secondly, eye closure is an easily assessable user action, and thirdly, it is still largely unchartered territory in this context. For a concept to be investigated in human-computer interaction, these are healthy conditions to start from.
In summary, closing the eyes has a rich cultural background, which can serve as the groundwork for plausible metaphors. Additionally, eye closure can have positive effects on ocular exhaustion issues, especially in prolonged screen work times. Finally, closing the eyes is helpful if we want to inspire imagination: if we see nothing, we conjure up an image in our head.
Based upon these observations, I developed a hypothesis about the possible impact of eye closure on visual media.
