SOL-1
When does an object begin to feel like a presence?
SOL-1 is the first prototype within What Makes You Human, an ongoing CXRE Labs research and art series exploring artificial presence, empathy and the boundaries of human identity. It tests the minimum behavioural conditions under which a non-living system begins to feel alive.
Behaviour as material
Seven states—sleeping, waking, breathing, happiness, sadness, fear and anger—shape rhythm, intensity and recovery. The research asks how subtle changes can suggest an internal condition without claiming consciousness.
From logic to physical presence
TouchDesigner coordinates state, input and output. Servo and LED assemblies translate the behavioural system into a physical prototype, allowing timing and motion to be tested together.
A working research artifact
The exposed prototype documents a process of building, testing and refinement. Its purpose is inquiry: discovering how responsiveness becomes emotionally legible.
Current state
An ongoing research prototype, not a finished sculpture. Testing and assembly continue to inform the relationship between behaviour, physical motion and perceived presence.
- Behavioural Design
- TouchDesigner
- Kinetic Systems
- Physical Computing
- Prototyping
Credits
Research and development: Niyi Adeogun / CXRE Labs.
Part of an ongoing project supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.
What Makes You Human
Research into artificial presence and emotional projection.
Signs of Life V1
Behaviour, motion and the development of SOL-1.
Building SOL-1
Developing a physical kinetic system through behavioural research and prototyping.