Beyond Words
Nonverbal communication, like gestures, shape how we connect with each other. But what if a simple hand movement could tell a story? Could two people feel a sense of connection without speaking at all? This project explores how hand-based, mimetic gestures can create playful spaces for human connection.
Beyond Words is an interactive experience where two participants use their hands to form different shapes, guided by prompts. A gesture-detection system translates these movements into animations that weave together into a shared story, where imagination and gestures become the language of understanding.
Parsons Design+Technology
Parsons’ Design and Technology (DT) programs bring a critical intersectional lens to creative computation. Students explore the tools, methods, and theory needed to ethically reinvent the arts and creative industries. The diverse and vibrant DT learning community engages with a wide range of self-identified and ever-changing subjects including social media, games, data, machine learning, generative AI, bio design, digital fabrication, physical computation, and immersive experience design.
More Maker Info
https://dt2025coneyislandmakerfaire.framer.website/More Event Info
More Project Info
https://www.sindhukruttiventi.com/beyond-words
What inspired you to make this project?
I was inspired by how people communicate beyond words through gestures, play, and imagination. These nonverbal interactions are often overlooked in our daily lives, treated as secondary to spoken language. Shadow puppetry, where simple hand shapes and movements create entire stories, particularly sparked my interest. I wanted to explore that same sense of storytelling through an interactive system.