Tangible Intangibles: Exploring Embodied Emotion in Mixed Reality for Art Therapy

TL;DR

This study investigates how mixed reality and biometrics can transform intangible emotional states into tangible visual artifacts, enhancing embodied emotion expression in art therapy.

Contribution

It introduces a novel MR prototype mapping physiological signals to visual parameters, providing new design principles for emotion-aware mixed reality applications.

Findings

Participants experienced and compared analog and MR journaling methods.

The prototype successfully generated 3D emotional artifacts from biosignals.

Insights into design constraints for emotion-driven MR and biosignal integration.

Abstract

This in-person studio explores how mixed reality (MR) and biometrics can make intangible emotional states tangible through embodied art practices. We begin with two well-established modalities, clay sculpting and free-form 2D drawing, to ground participants in somatic awareness and manual, reflective expression. Building on this baseline, we introduce an MR prototype that maps physiological signals (e.g., breath, heart rate variability, eye movement dynamics) to visual and spatial parameters (color saturation, pulsing, motion qualities), generating ''3D emotional artifacts.'' The full-day program balances theory (somatic psychology, embodied cognition, expressive biosignals), hands-on making, and comparative reflection to interrogate what analog and digital modalities respectively afford for awareness, expression, and meaning-making. Participants will (1) experience and compare analog and MR-based journaling of emotion; (2) prototype and critique mappings from biosignals to visual/spatial feedback; and (3) articulate design principles for trauma-informed, hybrid workflows that amplify interoceptive literacy without overwhelming the user. The expected contributions include a shared design vocabulary for biometric expressivity, a set of generative constraints for future TEI work on emotional archiving, and actionable insights into when automated translation supports or hinders embodied connection.