Jaana Okulov

2024–
Jaana Okulov, Teppo Vesikukka, Yu Tian

The Transformative Technologies project explores transformative states that arise both within individuals and between them, and studies the aesthetic traces they leave on cognition. In our research, transformative technologies are defined as future perceptual tools that support human transformative capacity. These include reflective machine learning models that aid in social situations and augmented reality applications designed to expand perceptual capacities. Perception is not a static state but a dynamic skill that, when cultivated, enriches an individual’s experience of the world.

The project is grounded in dynamic systems theory, which highlights how individual-level changes, such as reorganized perception, can lead to broader societal impact. Despite the recognized role of perception in shaping individual, social, and political thought, systematic empirical research in this interdisciplinary domain remains limited. The project addresses this gap by exploring three critical questions in multidisciplinary experimental and artistic research settings: 1) How do transformative states unfold at individual, interpersonal, and societal levels; 2) What aesthetic and attentional shifts in perception are central to transformative states and the development of transformative technologies; 3) What kinds of perceptual technologies best support cognitive diversity and personal integrity?

By addressing these questions, the project lays the foundation for a collaborative network and a center that brings together researchers, artists, and developers dedicated to advancing ethically sustainable transformative technologies that respect societal diversity. Our current collaborations involve eight Finnish institutions: the Universities of Jyväskylä, Tampere, Turku, and Helsinki, Uniarts, VTT, Turku EyeLabs, and M-Cult.

Our text Proposition on Transformative Perception published in Eurantie Window, 2025.
Writers: Okulov & Vesikukka, design: Anna-Mari Tenhunen