Snapshot of Happiness

A work that attempts to visualize and record not the facts of an event but the emotions felt at that moment, using a mathematical formula called the “equation of happiness.” The aim was to create an object that captures moments of happiness and emotional change objectively.

Dates & Venue

Dates: Friday, July 1 – Sunday, July 10, 2022, 10:00–20:00
Venue: 100BANCH 2F GARAGE (3-27-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo — about 2 minutes on foot from the New South Exit of JR Shibuya Station)
Admission: free, no reservation required

How It Works

Participants recall a happy or joyful event
They rate the event on a 10-point scale
They speak about the event into a microphone
An artwork is automatically generated on the spot

The Mechanism of the “Equation of Happiness”

The work uses a differential equation developed from the mathematical psychology model of Both et al. Each parameter of the equation is determined from data obtained by asking participants questions. (Reference: "Modeling the Dynamics of Mood and Depression", 2008)

Visualizing Happiness

Emotion is treated as a continuously changing fluid and expressed as generative art using fluid simulation.

How Colors Are Determined

The participant's voice is analyzed with a Fourier transform, and the frequency data is mapped to the HSB color model to generate a color unique to that person.

How the Fluid Trajectories Are Determined

The participant's 10-point rating of their change in happiness is mapped to the particle velocity of the fluid, and the trajectories are determined by parametric equations.

Members

Masaki Kato — researcher / media artist. Pursues physics research and media art using mathematical formulas in parallel, through the project “Physics As Art”
Natsuyo Mikawa — researcher. Interested in themes such as “the value exchange of happiness” and “the fermentation of relationships”