King’s College London
Seeking Connection
‘Seeking Connection’ invites the visitor on a journey of discovery – from the smallest cell to the vastness of the universe. Explore how King College London’s transformative interdisciplinary research into digital technologies is navigating opportunities for meaningful connections with ourselves, our communities and our planet.
Starting with the self, ‘Seeking Connection’ asks, how can digital design help us better understand our minds and bodies? Visitors have the chance to meet Purrble, the cuddly companion designed to guide emotion regulation for young people struggling with their mental health. In ‘Decoding Difference’, the sculpture is the artist herself and reflects her hidden impairment. Light and sound mirror her changing blood glucose levels and heartbeat, as live data is transmitted directly from an implant in the artist’s body.
Step deeper inside ‘Seeking Connection’ and discover how King’s College London’s research is helping us to understand relationships in our communities. Data shows older adults are increasingly vulnerable to experiencing loneliness, which can lead to poorer physical and mental health. In ‘Deloneliness’, learn about the pioneering design of a smart system with wearable products that measures and combats this. In ‘Room is Sad’, discover the story of a smart room that isn’t feeling quite right. The immersive experience raises questions about the relationship between identity, autonomy and privacy today.
Finally, ‘Seeking Connection’ looks at connectedness with our world. Learn about the communication gaps technology has yet to bridge in ‘Sentinels’,
a story of a Colombian court judgement intended to protect the Amazon rainforest that resulted in severe consequences for the subsistence farmers cohabiting there. In ‘Particle Shrine’ visitors can explore invisible cosmic forces that can’t be seen, heard or felt. In an audio-visual experience like no other, creative technologies and live data from four cosmic ray detectors and from the Super-Kamiokande observatory in Japan, make the invisible visible.
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Decoding Difference. Illustration: Zoe Partington
Deloneliness
Room is sad
Profile
King’s College London is amongst the top 35 universities in the world and top 10 in Europe (The World University Rankings 2023), and one of England’s oldest, most prestigious universities. King’s has an outstanding reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research and since its foundation, students and staff have dedicated themselves in the service of society. The university continues to focus on enquiry-driven research, world-leading education and service, delivering transformative solutions that have the power to accelerate global progress. The culture of King’s enhances the impact and engagement of research through creative approaches and collaborations, exploring contemporary challenges with imagination.
Credits
Presented by:
Presented by the Faculties of Arts & Humanities, Business, Law, Natural and Mathematical & Engineering Sciences at King’s College London, supported by King’s Culture
PURRBLE
Research project team
Dr Petr Slovak, Dr A. Jess Williams, Dr Seray Ibrahim, Nikki Theofanopoulou, Melina Petsolari, Phoebe Staab
Funded by UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship under grant no. MR/T041897/1 and Medical Research Council, under grant no. MR/W002450/1
Collaborators
Purrble@Oxford
Maureen Freed & Dr Timothy Knowlson, University of Oxford
Prof James Gross, Stanford University
Dr Jessica Schleider, Stony Brook University
Claudine Tinsman, Oxford University
Purrble w/ self-harm
Prof Ellen Townsend & Prof Chris Hollis, University of Nottingham
Dr Seonaid Cleare, University of Glasgow,
Prof James Gross, Stanford University
Public and Patient Involvement group, Sprouting Minds
Purrble for families
Funded by UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (award reference MR/T041897/1), and UKRI EPSRC Studentship (award reference 2436440):
Dr Crispin Day, IoPPN, KCL and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Prof Alissa N. Antle, Simon Fraser University
SPARKLE Trial
Funded by UKRI ESRC:
Prof Edmund Sonuga-Barke, Dr Katarzyna Kostyrka-Allchorne, Dr Melanie Palmer IoPPN, KCL
Dr Crispin Day, IoPPN, KCL and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Prof Cathy Creswell, University of Oxford
EPEC studies
Dr Crispin Day, IoPPN, KCL and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
The Imagine Neighborhood Trial
Scotty Iseri, Committee for Children and Dr Sherri Widen
Department of Informatics at King’s College London
Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences at King’s College London
DECODING DIFFERENCE
Artist: Zoe Partington
Research: Dr Katharina C. Husemann, Dr Anica Zeyen and Dr Leighanne Higgins
Build: Craig Clarke
Access Advice: Shape Arts
Funding: King’s Business School Faculty Innovation Fund
SENTINELS
Starring: Lucía Michiels
Direction and screenplay: Mark Knightley
Produced and conceived by: Dr Emily Barritt
Cinematography: Jamie Partridge
Original music: Jonathan Charles
CGI: Kieran West
Dramaturgy: Harriet Madeley
Translation: Dr Tessa Roberts
Interviewees: Laura Jiménez Ospina, Gabriela Eslava, Valentina Rozo Ángel, Ariadna Haydar Chams, Yurshell Yanishey Rodríguez Hooker, Aderly Rolando Chamorro Rubio
With thanks to John Clemence, Andrew and Ann Martin and James Maclaren
Produced by Crowded Room and King's College London
Funded by Transnational Law Institute, King's College London and Arts Council England
Dickson Poon School of Law at King’s College London
DELONLINESS
Deloneliness Project team
Principle Investigator: Wei Liu, Department of Engineering, King’s College London
Co-Investigators: Sebastien Ourselin, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, Anthea Tinker, Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King’s College London, Faith Matcham, School of Psychology, Univesity of Sussex, Yu Shi, Institute of Textiles and Colour, University of Leeds
Researchers: Freya Probst, Research Associate in Healthcare Design, Department of Engineering, King’s College London, Jess Rees, Research Associate, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, Michela Antonelli, Research Associate, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, Xi Wang, Research Associate, University of Chester
Funding:
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Project Partners:
Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN)
Kymira
Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences, King’s College London
ROOM IS SAD
Created by Elliott Hall, King’s Digital Lab (KDL) in partnership with Charisma.AI
Research Project Team
Project Lead: Prof. James Smithies (Department of Digital Humanities)
Co-Investigator: Prof. Sarah Atkinson, Vice Dean and Professor of Screen Media, Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries
Faculty of Arts & Humanities, King’s College London
PARTICLE SHRINE
Creative Team
Creative director, designer, producer, composer: Christo Squier
Creative technologist, designer: Chris Ball
Experimental particle physicist: Dr. Teppei Katori
Lighting designer: Eden Morrison
Videographer, editor: Matt Jolly
Ableton Live / Max for Live bespoke devices: Mark Towers, Bill Brooks
Soundscape install: Jack Page, Wayne Powell, d&b Audiotechnik
Fabrication: Sam Mills
Video animations: Peter Story
Photography: Matt Jolly, Jack Latimer, Rah Petherbridge
Funders:
Science Gallery London
King's College London, Department of Physics, Experimental Particle and Astroparticle Physics group
King's Undergraduate Research Fellowships (KURF)
King's College London
Britten Pears Arts
Ableton
d&b audiotechnik
With thanks to:
Hackspace Manchester
The Premises Studios
Spencer Axani of CosmicWatch
Hidden Notes
Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences
Exhibitors
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