Body Swappers superimposes the representation of one person onto the representation of an other. Only one person sees the resulting composition and can control the on-screen position of the elsewhere-body.
The bounding box of the elsewhere-body is identified from a live video-feed using object detection. As such, the two distinct contexts for the experience collide and are made explicit through the box’s edges. But the contexts are distinct and create different performances: the controlling body is in a classroom, responding, while the other is waiting for an elevator.
In positioning the elsewhere-body, the actions of the “controlling” body are obscured. However, in re-positioning the actions of the elsewhere-body, the controlling body gives their actions new meaning and context.
Technicals
Through object detection on a live camera feed—as detailed in Live Body Context (063), a body in one space is identified and superimposed on mirror-image of another space.
Next Steps
- Offer prompts for performance in each space: what is the body who is detected responding to?