Introduction
From the simple mathematical formula T=S/V (time = distance / velocity), the relationship between time and space can be intuitively understood. This work is based on this formula, exploring the latent spatiotemporal relationships within the process of data-driven information processing.
Compared to the spatiotemporal dimensions in reality, such virtual spatiotemporal relationships are more hidden and imperceptible. However, in contrast to the commonly discussed concept of the "metaverse," this "virtual" spatiotemporal relationship may be more scientific and reliable, offering a path to rethink the essence of virtual spaces.
Concept and Background Research
This work employs multiple hosts, a camera, a clock, and a projector to construct a closed-loop system centered around the clock, aiming to visualize the flow of time. Against the backdrop of the "metaverse" concept's prevalence, this installation seeks to re-examine the relationship between time and space.
Within the system, a camera captures the clock’s image in real-time and "streams" it live. The captured video data is then transmitted to multiple hosts for processing. Due to differences in the performance of each host, the data undergoes varying degrees of time delays and visual degradation as it flows through the system. Ultimately, the processed video is projected back onto the clock via a projector, overlapping the projected image with the actual clock.
Due to the delay, a spatial angle emerges between the position of the clock’s pointer in the projection and the actual clock's pointer. This angular space is defined as a "purely virtual space." Within this virtual space, each host acts like a planet in the universe, exerting its "gravitational pull" on time, attracting and distorting its flow. Ultimately, the clock becomes a field where the real and the virtual intersect, casting a shadow of time on its surface.