Overstimulated

23/07/2021

</over>stimulated

Master's thesis at HBKSaar

October 2020 – July 2021

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Cover image for the 2024 Official Benavente calendar

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System Error: </over>stimulated

My Masters Thesis, </over>stimulated, is not just a visual representation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); it is an attempt to reverse-engineer the neurotypical gaze.

While mainstream media often portrays autism through a voyeuristic lens-focusing on external behaviors or the "male genius" stereotype. My goal was to simulate the internal operating system of the autistic mind. The project functions as an interactive, non-linear experience because the autistic experience itself is rarely linear. It is a constant negotiation between internal processing and external demands.

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Close-ups of the different pages

First image in a series of images detailing different aspects of the calendar

Second image in a series of images detailing different aspects of the calendar

Third image in a series of images detailing different aspects of the calendar

Fourth image in a series of images detailing different aspects of the calendar

The Illusion of Choice

Technically, the project draws inspiration from interactive narratives like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. I wanted the user to feel "active and tactile" through decision-making. However, the non-linear path reflects a deeper truth: while you can choose which fragment to explore, the underlying "code" of the experience (the autism) remains constant. The interactive format forces the viewer to actively engage with the frustration, confusion, and beauty of a mind that processes the world differently.

Fourth image in a series of images detailing different aspects of the calendar

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"Non-Destructive" Identity Construction

A key theoretical pillar of this work is the concept of Non-Destructive Editing (common in digital collage and Photoshop). In design, we use masks and layers to alter an image without permanently destroying the original data.

I applied this logic to the concept of Masking. For an autistic individual, "masking" is the conscious construction of a social layer-mimicking behaviors, scripting responses, and suppressing natural instincts to fit in. Just like a digital file, the original "layer" (the true self) remains underneath, but it is obscured by the "adjustment layers" of social survival.

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Technicalities

It is built in pure html and css. No frameworks or libraries were used. The design was made with a non-responsive approach. I did not use any media queries or other responsive design techniques. It works perfectly fine on any device, except for a couple of small details.

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The Architecture of the Experience

The project is architected around four distinct states of being:

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Hyperfixation

The Logic: Hyperfixation is often misunderstood as just "liking something." In the project, I treat it as a "zoom" function that cannot be zoomed out. It is the ability to see the "trees but not the forest."

The Visualization: This is represented through an intense, micro-focus on details, simulating the self-regulating isolation that comes from diving deep into an inner world.

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Overload

The Logic: Overload is the result of an incompatibility between the user’s sensitivity and the environment’s input.

The Visualization: I utilize the metaphor of viscosity-like magma. The pressure builds invisibly until the "system" (the body/mind) shuts down to prevent permanent damage. The visual chaos here represents the "fatal exception" errors of the mind.

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Masking

** The Logic:** Social interaction for neurotypicals is intuitive; for me, it is a manual calculation.

The Visualization: By using the parallax scrolling effect and overlayed text, I physically separate the "viewer" from the "content," mimicking the dissociation felt during masking. The text explicitly references the "scripting" process. Taking notes on human behavior as if studying for an exam, citing pop culture (like Bridget Jones) as a manual for interaction.

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Alienation

The Logic: Alienation is the statistical output of the previous three states. It is the feeling of being "lost in a world that spoke a language I didn't."

The Visualization: This section explores the "loss of self" that occurs when one spends too long masking. It is the visual equivalent of a void. The desire to "return to my home planet" because the current operating environment feels fundamentally hostile.

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