An Abstract interactive database - large

by Daisy Church and Sterling Sheehy

Initially, the notion of building an abstract database seems contradictory in design and implausible in execution, being that a database is a method of organizing information into coherent easily accessible categories and abstraction is a method of revealing nearly the exact opposite. Yet, as strange a marriage that these two may be it does allow for exciting new possibilities of data exploration. Traditional database theory calls for a clearly structured way of searching information with speed being its most important function. In contrast, an abstract database allows for large unpredicted leaps in accessibility, connecting information within the database that otherwise might be overlooked. In an abstract database it is the interaction itself, which becomes the most important function.

Changing the intent of the outcome, in a way resolves the apparent conflict of interest within the two systems. This also mutates ones expectations of the systems design and makes possible new data exploration techniques. It becomes more interesting at times to explore the data than to actually find anything specific. By surrendering some control the user remains open to new, possibly unexpected interactions, keeping the experience fresh.

According to Manovich’s reasoning this type of interactive experience would in turn force the user to re-rationalize their view of the interface and create their own model by which to select the media. They cannot accept the irrational approach and to compensate will inherently try to rationalize it. By fracturing the database the user will then in turn become the author and attempt to fit all of the pieces back together even if it is impossible. That being the case, one cane draw the conclusion that the more one interacts with an abstract database, the more it is altered from its original state, and the more relevant it becomes as an interactive experience.

In nature we can find definite examples of this sort of system at work. For instance, one could say that the brain works as an abstract database of memories. It is capable of storing a lifetime of human experience, but how it categorizes those thoughts is in many ways a mystery. This being the case, Information collected over a lifetime can often be difficult to access because it is not sorted in any sort of traditional structure. Yet it still exists, even if it is consciously forgotten, stored away waiting to be accessed. According to Freud’s Beyond the Pleasure Principle the brain constantly stores this information drawing from it when it sees fit. These suppressed memories establish a kind of mental real estate that may be claimed at later dates and times as experienced in ones dreams. Subconscious memories are always there and always a factor to the conscious self, even if they are impossible to sort out in a rational and coherent fashion.

Drawing upon this idea, I thought it might be interesting to mimic Freud’s postulations on memory storage and create an interactive experience that could visualizes this phenomena. Instead of human thought the interactive brain project that I have developed utilizes a database of multimedia saved to the memory of my home computer. Collected over the lifetime of the computer these files symbolize memories of past experiences. Some files link together forming strings of narrative thought, while others are fractured in their singularity. They sit idle waiting for the user who triggers these files in the same way that a dream might call past memories to light. One could say that the program triggers dreams. Exploring this digital brain might be a similar experience to what a physiologist has when exploring the memories of one of their patients.

These files or “dreams” are assigned to different geographical locations of the digital brain, and activated by the mouse. Each angle of the brain model is covered with a variety of hotspots. These Thoughts can be categorized by region, or mapped to specific parts of the brain from which they might be generated. Even though these regions are not labeled one can draw conclusions about their function quickly through their interaction with the piece itself. Scrolling around the brain model revels new geographical possibilities and exposes hotspots to other memories. Freud’s view of the brain in dream state would be just like scrolling between these hot spots. Possibly this could help explain why dreams seem random while at the same time vaguely familiar.

Simplicity is the main strength of an interface such as this. The information being drawn from it may be constantly changing but the stability of the interface itself gives the user an apparent sense of control. While probing through the different memory regions of the digital model they gain a Meta perspective of the database but at the same time retain the pleasure of interfacing on a micro level as well. Eliminating the more formalized elements of the database the user can now quickly browse through the memory files in a nonlinear abstract way. Its important to note though that this interaction is not random its just making large jumps in the database. The interface does not deter their ability to access the information, for its geographical location does not change. It does on the other hand provide a less formally structured view of the information at hand, making for a very organic experience.