Unique Identification of 50,000+ Virtual Reality Users from Head & Hand Motion Data

With the recent explosive growth of interest and investment in virtual reality (VR) and the so-called "metaverse," public attention has rightly shifted toward the unique security and privacy threats that these platforms may pose. While it has long been known that people reveal information about themselves via their motion, the extent to which this makes an individual globally identifiable within virtual reality has not yet been widely understood. In this study, we show that a large number of real VR users (N=55,541) can be uniquely and reliably identified across multiple sessions using just their head and hand motion relative to virtual objects. After training a classification model on 5 minutes of data per person, a user can be uniquely identified amongst the entire pool of 50,000+ with 94.33% accuracy from 100 seconds of motion, and with 73.20% accuracy from just 10 seconds of motion. This work is the first to truly demonstrate the extent to which biomechanics may serve as a unique identifier in VR, on par with widely used biometrics such as facial or fingerprint recognition

Voicing Kinship with Machines: Diffractive Empathetic Listening to Synthetic Voices in Performance.

This thesis contributes to the field of voice studies by analyzing the design and production of synthetic voices in performance. The work explores six case studies, consisting of different performative experiences of the last decade (2010- 2020) that featured synthetic voice design. It focusses on the political and social impact of synthetic voices, starting from yet challenging the concepts of voice in the machine and voice of the machine. The synthetic voices explored are often playing the role of simulated artificial intelligences, therefore this thesis expands its questions towards technology at large. The analysis of the case studies follows new materialist and posthumanist premises, yet it tries to confute the patriarchal and neoliberal approach towards technological development through feminist and de-colonial approaches, developing a taxonomy for synthetic voices in performance. Chapter 1 introduces terms and explains the taxonomy. Chapter 2 looks at familiar representations of fictional AI. Chapter 3 introduces headphone theatre exploring immersive practices. Chapters 4 and 5 engage with chatbots. Chapter 6 goes in depth exploring Human and Artificial Intelligence interaction, whereas chapter 7 moves slightly towards music production and live art. The body of the thesis includes the work of Pipeline Theatre, Rimini Protokoll, Annie Dorsen, Begüm Erciyas, and Holly Herndon. The analysis is informed by posthumanism, feminism, and performance studies, starting from my own practice as sound designer and singer, looking at aesthetics of reproduction, audience engagement, and voice composition. This thesis has been designed to inspire and provoke practitioners and scholars to explore synthetic voices further, question predominant biases of binarism and acknowledge their importance in redefining technology

Femme Theory: Refocusing the Intersectional Lens

This paper seeks to develop a theory of subversive femininities or femme theory. It argues for the inclusion of femmephobia in intersectional analyses and provides the theoretical groundwork necessary for feminist theorists and researchers to incorporate an analysis of femmephobia into their studies of oppression. Résumé Cet article cherche à élaborer une théorie des féminités subversives ou « femme theory ». Il plaide en faveur de l’inclusion de la phobie « femme » dans les analyses intersectionnelles et fournit les bases théoriques nécessaires pour que les théoriciennes et les chercheuses féministes incorporent une analyse de la phobie « femme » dans leurs études de l’oppression

Living a bare life: assembling the everyday of migrant domestic work in Cairo

This ethnographic study of work in Cairo argues that the laboring lives of migrant domestic workers in this locality are both similar and different to that of other spatial locations. Con- trary to the re-hashed representation in media, this text shows that migrant domestic workers in the Arabic speaking world are not what is often referred to as modern day slaves. Instead, I show how these workers shape and are shaped in accordance with a neoliberal govermentali- ty, through their techniques of managing their affects, bodies and actions. However, regard- less of the increasing focus on training subjects before entering the workplace, the market for domestic work in Cairo is not organized according to skill or merit, but rather according to nationality and gender. The pricing in this market is a reflection of a local and global hierar- chy where certain nationalities are marketed as skilled, docile and modern, while others are seen as human waste. Despite the constrictions this market creates and although they work without papers, workers’ rapid change of employment shows how these workers are not simply victims, but rather active subjects who practice unconventional forms of labor politics in navigating the micro politics of the everyday

The Well-Embodied Professional: Attitudes around Integrating Massage Therapy & Psychotherapy when Treating Trauma

Immediate and long-term effects of trauma result in mental, emotional, and physical symptoms that ultimately can inhibit normal daily functioning and cause dissociation and disorganized attachment. Previous studies highlight effective strategies in cognitive and physiological approaches to treating trauma. However, limited research has been found in the area of integrative approaches that include the use of touch. This qualitative study examines the professional attitudes around the integration of massage therapy and psychotherapy into a sound clinical practice for treating trauma. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five massage therapists and five licensed independent clinical social workers from Minnesota, all having clinical experience with trauma. Findings reveal that the multi-dimensional effects of trauma warrant a multi-dimensional approach. Therapeutically, benefits include providing comprehensive care, enhancing the therapeutic process, and saving time and money. This model would be professionally beneficial by promoting exceptional leadership in the healthcare industry and providing a sense of personal and professional gratification. However, therapeutic barriers include the client’s ability to handle touch, the client’s ability to understand the intent of treatment, and the potential for re-victimization. Professional barriers include personal and professional boundaries, professional identity related to scope of practice, fear of allegations, ambiguous laws and guidelines, and institutional resistance to change. These findings suggest a need for better advocacy, stronger laws and practicing guidelines, further research and practice models, continued dialogue among professions, and a shift in societal perspectives around the use of touch