ECHO — The Empathy Engine

Case study

An engine for empathy

A virtual mirror brings a stranger’s story, voice and expression into the visitor’s own image. Inside the booth, facial tracking merges identities, inviting people to recognise themselves in another life and connect across cultural and personal differences.

The archive behind the giant head

As ECHO toured globally, it captured over 40,000 faces and stories, building a diverse cross-cultural archive. These portraits and narratives provide the starting material for animated content mapped onto the giant ECHO/OHCE head: intimate exchanges become a collective public presence.

International touring and recognition

Touring: Australia, South Africa, Austria, Germany, Singapore and the UK. Prix Ars Electronica 2018: Honorary Mention, Interactive Art+. Sheffield Doc/Fest 2019: Best Digital Experience Award. Creator Georgie Pinn; creative producer Kendyl Rossi; developer Jeremy Boulton.

Public value and next application

A shared archive, with stories that can be curated for each event

Personal stories create connection

The booth makes another person’s experience feel close: their voice and expression become linked with the visitor’s face. ECHO uses this embodied exchange as a tool for empathy, inviting recognition, curiosity and conversation across difference.

Music festivals: become the artist

Record songs or personal stories with featured musicians. Visitors choose an artist and watch their own face merge with the performer as the recording plays, creating a personal fan encounter. The story library can be replaced or curated for each festival.

Human rights, charity and wellbeing

Curate lived-experience stories for human-rights events, charity campaigns, or mental-health and wellness programmes. The encounter can raise awareness and invite empathy through another person’s perspective, with contributor-led storytelling and thoughtful facilitation keeping the experience connected to its purpose.

An international touring platform

Singapore; Science Gallery Melbourne; Museum of Brisbane; Ars Electronica, Austria; DRIVE Gallery, Berlin; the Barbican, London; Brighton, UK; and Durban, South Africa. Across museums, galleries and festivals, the intimate format carries different voices to new audiences.

Audience intelligence and business value

Audience intelligence: Future editions could log selected artists or story themes, completion and time spent, alongside voluntary reflections on connection and audience interests. Story recording, public display, archive reuse and follow-up require distinct permissions.

Business value: Use aggregate choices and feedback to refine event-specific libraries, develop fan engagement or awareness programmes, and plan future cultural, charity and wellbeing partnerships. Commissioned story or song collections can give each presentation a relevant identity and continuing value.

How to evaluate a future commission

Participation and content — Count completed encounters, chosen artists or themes and voluntary contributions.

Connection and reflection — Ask what visitors recognised, learned or reconsidered; assess response through voluntary feedback.

Archive and event value — Review story-library relevance, contributor feedback, agreed reuse and partner referrals.

A useful commissioning step

Choose the event’s people, songs or stories, then curate or record its library. Agree artist and contributor permissions, facilitation, archive stewardship and whether new material may feed a future giant-head presentation.

Creator

Georgie Pinn

Creative producer

Kendyl Rossi

Developer

Jeremy Boulton