The Human Antenna Experiment:

Can an interactive television set up in a public site affect the

viewing habits of passerby pedestrians while helping an
outsider establish an identity? Al-Darb El-Ahmar

Pre-Master Research Study

The German University In Cairo
Faculty of Applied Sciences & Arts
Department of Media Design

March 2011

AYAH
TV
Ayah O Moustafa
A scientific paper on a public media intervention in Al-Darb El-Ahmar

Supervised by: Prof. Daniel Fetzner

Co. Supervised by: Bernd Dudzik & Christian Fischer
ayahtv.blogspot.com
 Research and development for expanding the use of art
and technology on our daily lives, customs, & traditions.

ayahtv.blogspot.com The Human Antenna Experiment | ii

 Abstract

This study offers an extension to the world of interactive

art by building a bridge between it and the humble people of
Al-Darb El-Ahmar; an extension of the human body through
a television set medium. It will analyze whether the medium
used (and the way it is used) will affect the outcome of commu-
nication or not, and if it can help evolve the means of the TV
set as a medium today in the world of interactive art/video.

Through this research facts, theories, assumptions, and ideas

will be put into consideration while trying to expand the use
and means of a TV set today to do more than just brainwash
viewers and act as a receiving device. But to also allow viewers to
send and interact in a third “non-place” environment (neither
virtual nor physical). Through the science and technology of
computer vision and the action-reaction input of the human
body, this study will analyze an interactive public-media
installation set up in the district of Al-Darb El-Ahmar. This
research attempts to redefine the definition of the TV set giving
it a whole new role to play as a medium where it can receive as
well as send messages while allowing the artist to cross borders
and interact with the local residents of the neighborhood. For
this study an interactive public installation will be set up in
the display window of a small computer shop in Al-Darb El-
Ahmar to allow exposure between the artist (in the TV as a
medium) and the target audience of the district who range in
the ages between 15 & 30.

All of the patches and programming done and tested in this

research project have been composed in the Cycling 74 Max
5 MSP/Jitter under the German University in Cairo (GUC)
license registration.

Keywords: interactive art, public media installation, television,

media design, computer vision, identity establishment, human
antenna, live performance.

ayahtv.blogspot.com Abstract | iii

 Preface

This paper is for a pre-master course project at the German

University in Cairo: Faculty of Media Design. It is intended to
develop and redefine what is used today in our everyday lives as a
one way streaming medium and transforming it into a medium
for communication and bonding (through the interactive art
field). This paper’s main concern is to aim at establishing a new
function of the medium (TV) as we know it, allowing users to
act and see more while experimenting if the artist could break
boundaries with locals.

ayahtv.blogspot.com Preface | iv
 Contents

iii Abstract
iv Preface
5 Contents
6 Introduction
i. Television
ii. Concept
iii. Overview

Chapter 1
8 Methods
1.1 Design Process
1.2 Site
9 1.3 Target Group
1.4 Self Applied Constraints
1.4.1 Computer Vision
1.4.1.1 Pattern Recognition
10 1.4.1.2 Face Detection
1.4.1.3 Live Performance
11 1.5 Installation Setup
1.5.1 Hardware
1.5.2 Software
12 1.6 Remote Location
13 1.7 Blog

Chapter 2
14 Results
2.1 Meet Ayah
2.2 Candid Camera
15 2.3 Complications

Chapter 3
16 Discussion
3.1 An Invisible Barrier
3.2 A Human TV
17 3.3 Hello, Nice To Meet You

Chapter 4
18 Conclusion
4.1 In the End
4.2 Future Directions

20 References

Table of Contents | 5
 Introduction

i. Television

In our world today, most of us were raised in a residence

where the living room revolved around a main centerpiece.
The main piece that made it all complete and perfectly fit: the
television set. However, for those of us who did not, we were
exposed to the medium in our classrooms, at art museums,
at the entrance of warehouse retail stores (where they were
connected to surveillance cameras and showed us on screen),
or even on airplanes thousands of miles above ground.

Studies have shown that the television is considered a reliable

medium for (mainly pointless) entertainment that can eat hours
of our day at a whole. Television sets are like portals for those
of us unknown on a prominent level, into a bubble-like world
where the rich, famous, and notorious lie for a living. On my
first visit to Al-Darb El-Ahmar, I realized that the people there
have been exposed to limited amount of mediums: televisions
sets, computers, and cell phones. Within that frame, I was
determined to create an installation using one of the mediums
they are so familiar with. The best candidate: the image (idiot)
box. The hardest part was to figure out how to reach out to the
residents and connect with them when I was always worried
that they would see me for a stranger -if not a foreigner.

ii. Concept

Before we can proceed, you need to understand how personal

this project is. I am an individual with hybrid cultures, traditions,
and motherlands. I am American born and bred, but Egyptian
in blood. Despite the latter fact, it is always hard for me to be
truly Egyptian with my past always catching up on me. Upon
every visit to Al-Darb El-Ahmar, I always find myself recoiling
and reluctant to try and start a conversation with anyone who
is old enough to tell when I am grammatically incorrect. I was
constantly worried I would say anything I did not mean, or
inappropriate and not even realize it. This was truly frustrating
as I am a person who loves to strike up conversations with
strangers and make my presence known.

ayahtv.blogspot.com Introduction | 6
 After months of thought, I finally came to the conclusion
that I could expose myself through a television set as a way
of releasing my fears, and crossing my borders from a remote
location. This way, I can interve publicly without physically
being there. A small step towards confidence.

iii. Overview

The hypothesis of this paper aims to prove if whether or not

an interactive television set can help change the viewing habits
of the residents in that area. To see if they can adjust to the
idea of a receptive television set, while trying to help me, the
artist, break my personal barriers and learn to interact with the
people of Al-Darb El-Ahmar. The results showed to be quite
significant to the expected hypothesis and have proven to be
successful in accomplishing the desired outcome.

This paper is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1: Methods

will cover the basic information on the site, target group, and
the computer vision I had planned to use. Chapter 2: Results
talks about the outcome of the live performance. The third
section, Chapter 3: Discussion, will then analyze and go deeper
into discussion on the results briefly mentioned in the previous
chapter. Finally Chapter 4: Conclusion, concludes this paper
wrapping up the results of the installation and the overall feel
of the project. It also talks about what could and would be
done differently if this installation were to be implemented
again at a different location.

Introduction | 7
 Chapter 1: Methods

1.1 Design Process

Before I began planning out the project, certain points
required clarity in my head. I needed to:
• Create a simple computer vision-based television to human
interactive installation.
• Participant(s) should quickly understand what to do and
grasp how the installation is used.
• Installation needs to be set in the correct context where it
will reach the intended target group & encourage interaction.

1.2 Site

While looking for the perfect location, one main condition

was set: I needed a display window (mostly for the protection
of equipment as children/young adults have no definition of
private, no-zone space). I went touring in the area behind the Al-
Azhar park and the Blue Mosque, but could not find anything
suitable for my needs. Locals there told me to look in the
direction towards the Sultan Hassan Mosque and Muhammad
Ali Street. There the area was a bit more ‘modern’. I searched
that part of the region until I found a small computer store
standing between a street fast-food parlor and a Playstation
café (which attracted young boys of various ages). The store
was on a main street (down the street from the Al-Darb El-
Ahmar police station) and, most importantly, had a sidewalk
with sufficient space.

Figure 1.1 Site

ayahtv.blogspot.com Methods | 8
1.3 Target Group

In order to begin, I had to figure out who my target audience

was. I went back to explore the area around the site and found
that the majority of people on the street were middle and high
school students. Most of which went to the school down the
block or the other one further down the road. I also had a long
talk with the store (site) co-owner, Mr. Khatter, who advised
me to focus on ages between fifteen and twenty-five. He
claimed that children needed something that would grab their
attention and hold it for the first ten seconds before they lose
interest (and that may be hard to accomplish with something
experimental). As for adults (especially those with kids) they
do not have the time or the will to stop and do anything unless
it has any benefit for their children. Seniors were out of the
question and not in any way targeted. If they happened to pass
by, I will not neglect them, but not expect them to stop (or
maybe even hear me over all the noise) and interact. Finally,
the teenage group is composed of teens and young adults who
believe they have nothing to worry about and that time grows
on the trees around the block in bulk.

1.4 Self Applied Constraints

Now to create an interaction that would satisfy the previously

listed goals (from 1.1 Design Process), some self applied
constraints needed consideration first. I needed to simplify the
large task I had at hand and shift my focus to the most important
design decisions in relation to this project. My biggest issue
was figuring out what kind of simple interaction I could use in
Max 5 that would easily demonstrate the concept and, more
importantly, would not slow down the computer RAM and
bandwidth connection between both remote locations. This
would ultimately lead to unwanted latency-related issues.

1.4.1 Computer Vision

1.4.1.1 Pattern Recognition

My main concern was to find a way to reduce human laziness

and encourage physical interaction. I started programing Max
patches that required human motion to generate the picture on
the TV. However, that soon proved to be quite the frustration:
the first protoype showed that it was hard for the participant
to both move and watch at the same time. So I started looking
into pattern recognition, something that still required physical

Methods | 9
interaction, but on a lower scale. One that would detect a
human body and activate certain channels when a pattern was
achieved.

1.4.1.2 Face Detection

I then realized that pattern recognition was an inappropriate

idea due to the lack of a stable surrounding environment. In
order for pattern recognition to successfully work, there had to
be a stable background to set the camera picture to and allow
the computer vision tracking to detect the difference in picture.
Since cameras have a hard time drawing in 3D, everythig
according to it is on one layer, two dimensions (up and down,
left and right). It was going to be tough to figure out how to
set an invisible wall between the foreground and background
movement.
On that ocassion, I started considering the cv.jit.faces object
which counts and tracks human faces. I then realized it also
acted as a metaphor for my concept of the project. That I am
crossing self-constructed boundaries and introducing myself
through the TV medium which is made for viewing. However,
after a certain threshold of viewers (number of faces) my signal
is cut off allowing me to disappear into the medium and other
channels to emerge.

Figure 1.2 Installation Setup

1.4.1.3 Live Performance

I had created the patch and was in the final polishing stages
when I realized that it would be best to create this entire
installation intervention as a live performance instead. That way
I could be in control of when I am on, off, and what channels
are playing. To view a complete list of the Max patches, please
visit ayahtv.blogspot.com.

Methods | 10
1.5 Installation Setup

For the performance, I used a combination of software and

hardware to help execute the desired outcome.

1.5.1 Hardware

• 2 Laptops (1 PC, 1 Mac),

• 1 VGA/AV TV Graphics converter,
• 1 Microphone,
• 1 Webcam,
• 1 Pair of Speakers,
• Extension Cords/Plugs,
• 1 Internet USB Stick, &
• 1 CRT Tube.

Two laptops were connected from remote locations via

the Internet. The PC laptop was set up at the site and was
connected to the CRT tube (TV) using a VGA/AV converter
allowing me to display what I want on screen. Remember that
all this could have easily been done with an LCD screen and an
HDMI cable, but I needed something that camaflouged into
the environment. Then, a small webcam was connected to help
me see what and who I was dealing with. The camera was set up
in the store so that it looked like it was on display: for sale.

Figure 1.3 Remote Connection

Methods | 11
Figure 1.4 Max Patch

1.5.2 Software

• Max 5 Jitter/MSP
• Screenium
• Skype
• Internet

Screenium is a program that helps you make live screen-

capturing movie-files off of your desktop. You can adjust it to
record a designated portion of your screen, the entire screen, or
to follow your cursor. Figure 1.2 shows a detailed explaination
of what the installation looked like.

1.6 Remote Location

For this performance to be complete, I had to make sure

that I was no where to be found on the day of the intervention.
I went late the night before to make sure all is correct and
ready to be set into motion. The following morning, four

Figure 1.5 Remote Location

Methods | 12
 representatives were sent: one to keep an eye on the on the TV
connections, one to photograph documentation pictures from
the street, a third to keep an eye on the video camera from
the neighbors house across the street on the second floor, and
finally, a fouth man capable of all three other positions.

As for myself, I performed from home that day. I set up a

plain bed-sheet behind me and launched all three programs:
Max 5, Skype, and Screenium. On the other computer back at
the site, Skype was the only thing running. On my end, I set
Skype to perform a desktop share with the other laptop to allow
me to display what was playing in that portion of my screen.
Screenium was simply used to record what was happening on
my computer including what I could see (from the webcam).

1.7 Blog

Our teachers have us given each student a Wiki page to

document every step of the project online. Not only does this
make discussion with our teachers easy, but it also helps spread
our project for other eyes to see. Despite the kind gesture, I
find that one page (with limited edit control) is not enough.
I created an online blog (ayahtv.blogspot.com) that gave me
many more options to customize. Many more pages were added
to discuss different parts of the project there.

Figure 1.6 Blog

Methods | 13
 Chapter 2: Results

2.1 Meet Ayah

It did not take long for the first person to stop. From what
I could see, it was an adult man in his mid-fourties. He heard
me call him and came back (passed the TV) to the shop door
to find the source of the sound. He left about ten seconds later.
The second participant, was also an adult man who lasted about
a minute. After he left, I was able to catch a young girl’s (about
8) attention. She was very shy to approach and stayed clear.
Apparently, a group of 15 year-old boys overheard and came to
see what was going on.

Figure 1.7 Site with Ayah on TV

2.2 Candid Camera

When people finally realized that I could see them through

a TV, they were bewildered and had one question: how? They
kept asking me for an explanation, to which I replied with,
“Can’t you see me? Wouldn’t that be a little unfair if I couldn’t
see you?” At this point, these boys were intrigued and stayed
for quite a while. They attracted other people’s attention and
brought other friends over. One of the boys was able to quickly
find the not-so-hidden documentation video camera across the
street and screamed, “Oh my God! Look! I found it! I found it!
It’s candid camera!”

ayahtv.blogspot.com Results | 14
2.3 Complications

There are some things that just have to happen regardless how
many times you tested and thought you were ready. On the day
of the installation, after everything was set up, the TV started
acting up for some reason and kept cutting out my image feed
giving a solid blue glare (this did not affect my audio stream in
any way). One of my site representatives had to sit and hold the
connection piece between the television and PC laptop (VGA/
AV) all throughout the live performance to try and prevent it
from happening again (but did many times anyway).

Also, the image was a bit slow and, at times, failed to stream
the video feed smoothly. Latency was a big issue and was clearly
visible between my audio play and the image synchronization.
Sometimes, a complete jump cut was visible. If the MacBook
Pro laptop I was using from the remote location could hold a
gun, it probably would not hesitate to kill me after the extra load
of RAM I had it run. The Max patch, Skype desktop sharing,
and Screenium were a bit too much to stream all together and
send via Internet.

Results | 15
 Chapter 3: Discussion

3.1 An Invisible Barrier

When the performance started, I found that rarely did

people come to pass by on the sidewalk. I realized that people
in Egypt are used to walking in the street with cars and not
in the designated pedestrian areas. Also, as this street was a
bit wider than most other streets in Al-Darb El-Ahmar, cars
that frequently drove by back and fourth and others parked
along the sides, created a barrier (in front of the store) against
me. For a moment, I regretted the fact that I had not spread
word or flyers of a live performance today. However, I later
came to realize that had I done that, I would have spoiled that
short moment when participants came to realize that the TV
sitting in front of them was more than just an image box, but
a responsive one at that.

3.2 A Human TV

Everyone knows what a TV is, but they do not know what

this TV is. On that note, people rarely noticed anything was
happening. The first man that I stopped, heard me call and
came back to the door, looking for the person who called.
The thought that I may be digital, never had passed his mind.
However, when I told him I was in the TV, he came over, with
a locked distance between us (I could hardly see him from
where my viewing web-camera was set), and asked me if I
wanted anything. At this point, it was clear adults found this
intervention useless and even more, awkward.

The second participant was another adult who came a bit

closer to the TV and asked me if he could help me in any
way-if I had any questions for him. He acted like this was an
interview. Surprisingly, he started to expressed his feelings
towards the installation stating that it was “strange to talk to
someone in a television” and yet very impressed with what I
have done. The best part about interview was that he had lasted
long enough to help introduce me into the area. People started
gathering in background and noticed that something strange
was going on.

ayahtv.blogspot.com Discussion | 16
 What I really found to be interesting was the fact that people
treated the TV set as if it were human: as if it were my human
head. They pointed things out to me in the street as if my eyes
in the set were subjective, danced, sang, fed me, and asked me
questions. For example, when they found the documentation
video camera located in the window of an apartment across the
street, they pointed it out to me in a way their body gesture
suggested that they were showing it to me. They did not realize
that I was watching them from the small webcam in the display
window.

I recall one moment during the installation where at least

five of these participants got too close to the glass and blocked
my view from the webcam. I then said, “why are you all so
close to me? Back away a little.” They immediately backed off,
no questions asked-like I was really there, a young lady asking
boys to give her space.

3.3 Hello, Nice To Meet You

It was interesting the way I found myself interacting with

the people I usually avoid starting conversations to begin with.
I was raising my voice and calling out random people passing
by in the street, hoping they would hear me. This was truly
something I would have never done in the case of real, physical
presence. It somehow felt like I was there, without really being
there: like I was observing from a distance. For some reason,
the male gender was the only gender I was able to establish any
real conversations with. I did see some girls reach within five
feet of the installation, but were too shy to approach. Reason:
boys were in control of the intervention zone and the girls were
just too shy to walk up between them. I myself, cut off the
signal when I wanted to entertain all the kids I had around me,
attract attention, or was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

Discussion | 17
 Chapter 4: Conclusion

4.1 In The End

In conclusion, the installation turned out to be overall

successful. Pedestrians on their way home and out of
school, have stopped, interacted, stayed, watched, called out
strangers, and most have even come back. Putting together
this installation was very stressful, but completely worth the
outcome. Personally, I enjoyed the interaction and found it
to be a fun way of performing and breaking the ice. I believe
that the medium (TV) used was the perfect candidate for this
project. Communicating through a TV set was something all
the locals of Al-Darb El-Ahmar never saw coming. Aside from
each of the pros mentioned above, the main aspect I found to
prove success, is the fact that everyone ignored the slow, cutting
television signal and depended on audio when needed, keeping
everything stable and constant. I being on the other end did no
notice how frequent the signal was lost visually. As long as an
audio stream was audible, communication was consistent.

4.2 Future Directions

In the future, I would love to recreate this installation at a

similar setting with similar conditions. It is crucial to find a
site located in a neighborhood with humble people who have
no background on media installations and relatively enough
space for interaction. This time, I will not insist on a sidewalk
as it rarely used by people here in Egypt. My target group still
remains the same, children and teens between the ages of fifteen
and thirty, and maybe even lower (ten?).

One factor that must be reconsidered, is the time of the

day the intervention is performed. During the day, sun creates
a reflection on the display window glass from the outside
making it hard for people to see the image on the television
screen inside behind the glass. However, during the evening
and night, a television produces a bright glare which not only
reflects light from the inside (making everything clear outside),
but can also act as a magnet and attract the eyes of potential
participants a lot easier. As mentioned earlier in this paper,
attracting participants to the installation was quite a stumble.

ayahtv.blogspot.com Conclusion | 18
 The problem is that I fear I may not be able to find the
intended target age group available in the streets at dark hours
of the day. Or if they are present, they will not be alone but
accompanied by adults, who a majoirty of do not have the
time or patience for such time wasting, good-for-nothing art
installations that do not benefit them in any way. The title of
this project suggests that a participant controls a TV set with
his body to give him more control than just choosing channels
and audio control. With the launch of this project brainstorm,
that was what I had intended. In the future, I would like to
emphasize and boost this detail by creating an installation
which will allow the user to control the frame rate of the image,
color, noise, audio, and (possibly) some other features.

Today’s Internet USB sticks have made it more than possible

for one to be online from anywhere a signal is detected.
Unfortunately though that does not change the fact that the
Internet in Egypt is slow. I find that a good old-fashioned
immobile internet router always works best and is advised for
better, heavy Internet streaming situations. But maybe next
time, I’ll be a little closer to help ease the buffer.

Conclusion | 19
 References

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3 Davenport, K., 2008. Gender and Aging: An Investigation of

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ayahtv.blogspot.com References | 20
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References | 21