EEG-based matching Installation

What happens when it’s not our words, but our brainwaves that decide who we feel connected to? In this interactive installation, participants answer personal questions solely in their minds, while an EEG system records their neural activity. An algorithm determines the one perfect match. flira plays with the human desire for connection and invites critical reflection on the future of desire, control, and the measurability of our innermost/deepest selves.

flira

What if we already know you

Participants answer personal questions with their thoughts — an EEG system records their brain activity to find their perfect match.

in collaboration with
» Maxima Walthes
» Melissa Heim

supervised by
» Prof. Andreas Ingerl
» Marcel Bückner

The LED display was kindly provided by WeTelCo. GmbH.
» www.wetelco.de

Year
2025

Exhibit
Ars Electronica 2025
Liminal Fields 2025

Discover flira

Task

Design and develop an interactive installation that rethinks how human connection can be initiated and measured. The project should combine neuroscience, real-time data processing, and digital interaction to create a unique matchmaking experience.

Objective

To explore emotional compatibility beyond verbal communication by using brainwave data. Flira invites participants to reflect on intimacy, control, and the role of measurable data in human relationships by replacing traditional forms of expression with neural signals.

Execution

Participants wear a Muse EEG headset and respond to three personal questions using only their thoughts. Their brain activity is streamed and processed in real time using Python and the open-source library muselsl. A custom-built algorithm analyzes neural patterns to determine a compatibility score between two people. The results are sent to Unity via an asynchronous socket connection and visualized in a custom-designed interface, developed with Unity’s UI Toolkit and based on a concept created in Figma.

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