Re-Shaping Nature: Fiddler Crab Wave Visualization

This project was developed in cooperation with the Max-Planck-Institute of Animal Behaviour and the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz.

The two main topics are the design principals of visualization and the artistic experimentation with scientific data.

I was given examples of different sets of data from different animals. I chose to work with Fiddler Crabs, in collaboration with Scientist Daniela Perez.

My approach was to visualize a behavior which is special to these crabs: waving. The waving can be seen as a threat or defense method, when in reality it’s their mating behavior. When sensing motion, male crabs start to wave their big claws in order to attract females. Since these crabs have really bad eyesight, they will wave at everything that moves in front of them, thinking it’s a potential mating partner. For some species it is common to wave in synchrony, others have battles as in who waves the fastest, the most or the biggest. Meanwhile the female crabs only have to small claws and decide which male crab and associated burrow they like best.

I started the project with a simple and quick prototype of a crab and a cube. Afterwards I started with the more complex 3D Modelling in Blender. 4 crabs in total, 3 male and 1 female. I focused on the species Austruca Mjoebergi (yellow claw), Tubuca Flammula (red) and Tubuca Seismella (grey). Because of their different waving pattern the visualization is particularly informative. Next step was to build the environment as a cube where I can place the crabs on and show the most important aspects of where they live. Afterwards I rigged, textured and animated the crabs and brought them into Unity together with the environment cube. In Unity I used an asset to connect a webcam to the animation.

The result is a motion sensitive and interactive project. When the webcam senses motion, the crabs will start waving. For example you walk past the monitor with a webcam an

The work is presented in an exhibition at the Max Planck Institute and University in Konstanz and was visible at the FMX Stuttgart.