Emotions Unlocked
Master’s thesis in Digital Design – Experimental Media
University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, 2025
Emotions Unlocked is an interactive media installation that explores the concept of emotional openness and its role in our social and personal lives. Created as part of my master's thesis in the Digital Design program at the University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, the project aims to make emotional states visible without the need for words or explicit explanation.
Participants are invited to engage with the system through facial expressions and body posture. These physical cues are captured in real time and translated into color changes within a soft, atmospheric visual environment. The form and structure of the installation remain constant, while the emotional state of each individual gently transforms the color palette. The space becomes a quiet mirror, where emotional expression is not analyzed or interpreted, but simply reflected.
The system recognizes eight basic emotional categories: joy, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, disgust, contempt, and a neutral baseline. Each emotion is assigned a specific color mood. Joy appears as bright, luminous tones. Sadness brings cooler, desaturated hues. Anger is expressed through deep reds or stark color contrasts. Fear may manifest as pale, restrained shades. The intention is not to define emotions precisely, but to offer a visual translation that can be felt and interpreted freely by each participant.
Technically, the installation was built using vvvv gamma. Facial tracking is handled through a webcam and vl.MediaPipe, while the ZED 2i camera records body posture. The tracking data is sent to Wekinator, where machine learning is used to classify the detected emotional states. These classifications are then translated into color values, which are displayed in real time as a reactive color field surrounding the participant.
The installation is not meant to measure or evaluate emotion. Instead, it creates a space of openness and quiet responsiveness, where emotional presence becomes visible without pressure or expectation. It offers a moment of pause and connection, allowing people to observe themselves and others in a subtle, non-verbal exchange.
A short film was created to accompany the installation. It documents the visual atmosphere and captures the personal responses of participants interacting with the system. Their expressions, moments of stillness, and spontaneous reactions are woven into a gentle narrative that extends the emotional experience into the medium of film. The documentary serves as both a reflection and a continuation of the installation's core idea: that emotion does not need to be explained to be seen, shared, or felt.