Contours of Hidden Pain

A — RESEARCH

This research explores the relationship between childhood trauma and spinal development. Through literature review, somatic observation, and cross-disciplinary synthesis, it examines how early psychological trauma may affect spinal health via physiological, psychological, and behavioral pathways. The findings suggest that trauma can manifest as “frozen memories” within the body, altering posture and muscle tension. The project emphasizes the spine as a living archive of emotional experience and advocates for trauma-informed perspectives in physical and mental health care.

References

• Treatment and Rehabilitation of AIS Patients — Eco-Vector Journal
• Heal Your Spine, Heal Yourself — Kimiya Healing
• Long-term Consequences of Childhood Trauma — PubMed
• Childhood Trauma Increases Risk of Chronic Pain in Adulthood — McGill Newsroom
• Can Childhood Trauma Also Be a Precursor to Adult Chronic Pain? — St. Williams Living Center
• Childhood Trauma and Physiological Responses — PubMed Central

B — STORYBOARD AND SKETCH

At this stage, I first established the overall narrative logic and viewing path of the project. By creating a storyboard, I clarified how the audience would interact with and experience the work. The exhibition setting is designed for a public space, where viewers can scan the poster with their phones to enter the AR animation experience.

I hope the audience can feel the emotional transition from the physical to the psychological during the viewing process, recognizing the connection between the body and the mind in trauma, and becoming more aware of mental and physical health issues.

In the visual development phase, I used quick sketches and experimental drawings to explore the language of biological forms in AR animation, searching for a balance between abstraction and representation through variations in line, structure, and movement.

C — MORPHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT: FROM 2D SKETCH TO 3D FORM

To save time and focus on learning Unity AR technology, I used the simplest and most familiar method — hand drawing first, then converting the sketches into 3D models with Tripo AI. This approach keeps the natural expression of hand drawing while allowing efficient testing of forms in 3D space. From dozens of generated models, I selected the ones that best matched the theme and my personal aesthetic as the main basis for further visual development.

D — POSTER COMPOSITION

This stage focused on creating the poster. To save time, I quickly extracted visual elements from the moodboard and combined them with 3D modeling materials. The process was mainly based on graphic design, integrating spatial composition and visual experimentation to complete the work efficiently.

E — FINAL AR IMPLEMENTATION AND VIDEO PRESENTATION

This part presents the video demonstration of the project. The audio was generated using Suno AI, combining two soundtracks with added distortion effects to create a quiet yet unsettling atmosphere. The animation and AR effects were implemented in Unity using the Vuforia plugin.

More than half of the project time was spent learning new software and technical skills. I hope to further refine this demo in the future as my technical abilities continue to grow.