Challenge:
The Blue Man Group was developing a new show for Las Vegas. What parts of the current show were engaging and exciting and what parts did people find boring?
Solution:
Hedman had audience members wear EDA sensors while watching the Blue Man Group performance. Afterwards he conducted long interviews about people's experiences.
Example EDA:
Example EDA:
An
audience member watches the blue man group perform four different
songs on
modified PCB
pipe. For
each song, the viewer’s EDA increases, but some songs have larger increases in
EDA, suggesting some songs may increase arousal and excitement more than other
songs.
Results:
| New Emotion Model |
|---|
| When the blue men perform in the audience, audience members become 3 to 4 times more aroused. |
| The newest addition to the show, playing with giant iphones, was the most boring part. |
| The audience is excited when volunteers on stage directly interact with the blue men rather than sit passively. |
| Audience members are most excited about songs they are familiar with. |
| The last large performance has the largest increase in arousal: in part because of strobe lights, in part because of giant dropping balls. |
| After the final presentation, the simple drum performance decreases audience member's arousal and is a let down from a previous big finale. |
This research has been presented to almost every designer within the Blue Man Group. The fidnings also inspired the New World Symphony project.