Strain Guage and Galvanic Skin Response

[Allen]

I'm in the process of developing an art project that requires we to measure the respiratory and skin response of subjects and then display the results visually on screen.
I have limited knowledge of electronics but not enough it would seem.
Can anyone point e in the direction of any tutorials / projects that would help me build the equipment I would need.
The budget of the project won't allow me to simply purchase the equipment from a vendor.

 

[chimpsimply]

perhaps...

...a thermistor would help test the heat response of the skin and and IR sensor could detect movement. but if you were more specific about your experiment it would be easier to help you. tell us why you are doing this experiment and how you are going to stimulate the skin...

 

[Allen]

More Details

What follows is the draft of the description for the proposal. This should give a much better idea of the piece.


Matinee is a live film review carried out by members of Suppose that eliminates the problems of personal opinion. It questions how we carry use traditional critical evaluation as a basis for qualitative review and presents an alternative form of personal responses in its place.

A site will be developed that allows visitors to suggest films, and vote on the suggestions of others, that they believe generate real emotional effect. The site will be powered by php or asp with a mysql or other appropriate database.

At the end of a predefined period the votes will be collated and the five most emotive films will be selected for review.

The films obtained, reviewing will commence.

At 19:00 each day for five days three subjects will be required to watch one of the chosen films.

They will be documented by video that will be streamed live along with the sound track of the film under review and data visualisations of their psycho-analytical or emotional responses.

The emotional level of the subjects will be judged via two modes:

respiratory levels (strain gauge) ;


galvanic skin response levels (skin conductivity levels);
This is assessed using a psycho-galvanometer which measures the ability of the skin to carry a charge. An increase in the activity of sweat glands[1] increases moisture on the skin which in turn increases the skins ability to carry a charge.


[1] Caused automatically and almost instantaneously, 0.2 - 0.5 sec, by heightened emotional arousal (anxiety, lust, love).




There are a few changes ot this however. Aftyer speaking to my sister who is an EEG technician it woudl seem that we would be better gathering data on pulse rate rather than resparatory via a strian gauge since it is more reactive.

I will add details about that as I revceive them fomr my sister.