Noéa

Despite technological advancements in environmental monitoring, dominant frameworks fail to integrate water’s agency, cultural hydro-intelligence, and ethical considerations into governance systems. In collaboration with partners in HKUST, GainForest, and ETH Eawag, Noéa is the affective AI system that bridges the gap between scientific abstraction and human engagement. By synthesising real-time hydrometeorological analytics, computational modeling, and TraditionalEcological Knowledge (TEK), Noéa enhances our ability to sense, interpret,and respond to hydrological changes. It does not merely visualize data—itembodies water’s shifting states in a way that fosters ecological attunement,ethical reflection, and adaptive governance.

The Climate Heartbeat prototype, documented by our quarterly journal Water Persona, visualizes precipitation patterns and hydrological fluctuations as rhythmic pulses, drawing parallels between atmospheric water cycles and human physiology.

The Human-Water Interface (HWI) operates at a microscopicscale, translating real-time water properties—such as oxygen levels,pH balance, flow rates, and environmental DNA—into affective sensorynarratives. As a dynamic, “living” sculpture, HWI serves as a communicationinterface between humans and water bodies.

PROTOTYPE I

Climate Heartbeat


Hong Kong Heartbeat: visualisation of Hong Kong's precipitation data (in mm) of from 1884 to 2024 which mimicks Electrocardiography (ECG)

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Issue 001

Water Persona Hong Kong
水脈腳本

Water Persona is an innovative, research-driven digital artwork conceived through the collaboration of Meeting of Waters and the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) in 2024. This project fuses the realms of art and science to create a visual exploration of the critical relationship between water and climate, inviting viewers to forge deep emotional and psychological connections with water, while offering actionable pathways to a more sustainable future.

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Isssue 002

Hydro-affects

The first prototype of Water Persona (香港：水脈腳本) delves into the “hydro-affects” – the emotional and interconnected states of Earth’s water systems. By blending objective hydrological data with subjective, anthropomorphic interpretations, we bring water to life, framing its fluctuating moods and rhythms as a reflection of the city’s own pulse.

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Isssue 003

Hong Kong Heartbeat

This issue also features the first prototype of Noéa, our affective AI interface, which translates climate data into emotional patterns. In this issue, we begin listening—through data, through culture, through rain—for the heartbeat of Hong Kong.

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Also see Hong Kong Heartbeat

PROTOTYPE II

Human-Water Interface

HWI

Introduction

Human-Water Interface (HWI)  is an interactive prototype based on Noéa that redefines our relationship with water, bridging scientific data and human perception, encouraging behavioural change toward sustainable water practices. The early research phase of Noéa began with the Climate Heartbeat prototype, an exploration of climate-affective AI that analyzed environmental data to create dynamic, responsive visualizations. This work laid the foundation for the algorithmic development of Noéa’s HWI, which translates hydrological data into interactive experiences. 

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