NUMINA
A FORTUNE TELLING EXPERIENCEcomissioned for MERAKI by AN EMERALD VISION
Taking inspiration from Zoltar and the experiments of the Kopfkino workshop, NUMINA invites audience members to recall memories through a series of prompts. As each prompt is answered, NUMINA develops a unique profile of the user. At the end of the experiment the user’s Numina, the spirit or divine power presiding over them, is revealed.
The intention was to create an experience that felt seamless and personalized to the user.
When the user first approaches the installation, they are greeteed by a set of headphones, a microphone, a screen, and a camera.
Once the user is ready to begin (headphones on and microphone in hand), they hold a “peace sign” up towards the camera. This triggers the start of the experience.
The user is then asked three individual questions. Their responses are recorded. As the questions progress, the background music intensifies.
Once the last question is answered, NUMINA generates a fortune and an “aura” (color) for the user based on their response. This completes the experience.
From a technical perspective, NUMINA functions by blending TouchDesigner, MediaPipe, Whisper, and the ChatGPT API.
TouchDesigner is used for visuals and functions as the interface of NUMINA.
MediaPipe uses computer vision to allow users to navigate through the experience.
Whisper is used to record user’s answers and transcribe them into text.
The ChatGPT API is used to take the user’s responses and generate a fortune that is personalized to them.