Acclair is a hybrid design research and art project in collaboration with Eyal Fried. We started this project at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea, Italy in 2004 with an exploration of a VIP service for airport security clearance using “brain fingerprinting” to screen for known terrorists or other criminals. Acclair couples a market research component simultaneously with the security clearance check.
Acclair: User prepped for brain scan by attendant
We combine knowledge and expertise from the cognitive neurosciences, advanced personal technologies, and interaction design to suggest potentialities for neuro-based services. Our goals include developing neuro-based projects that illustrate our concept of Neurocapital and serve as a forum and platform for critical engagement with rapidly advancing neuro-technology. The underlying objective of Acclair is to enable people to take advantage of their Neurocapital using a Brain Computer Interface (BCI).”
For more information, please visit the Art Valuation Services Facebook Page.
Video still from Acclair Instructions Video
Our thesis on “Acclairism” has a lot of information about how we position this project.
THESIS ABSTRACT
Biometric technologies are becoming socially acceptable in the wake of recent terrorist events. Bio-data is developing into a legitimate source for identity detection and assessment. Acclairism is an attempt to bring to light some of the conflicts and questions these technologies give rise to: What defines us as unique individuals? What defines us as trusted members of society? How much personal information will we willingly give away and under which circumstances? Through Acclairism we explore a situation wherein people freely accept a highly invasive, highly authoritative manipulation in return for tangible rewards and an upgraded social status. We perform this investigation through Acclair, a company providing brain- testing services as part of an exclusive security clearance for air-travelers.