Presentation: Light It Up

Michelle Moskal

The task in our Innovation Studio was to create an interactive installation that could convey a message of emotion through the sensory experience given by our arrangement. Our particular project involved the creation of an installation with a musical experience. Additionally, we felt very strong about adding another component of colored light. Through this project, we wanted to enable people to want to walk down a hallway where they would not normally walk. We also wanted the people walking down this hallway to interact with the installation.

When we first started, we wanted to use LED strips on a wall that would change based on frequency of the pitch of the people talking and walking down the hallway. The changing light would also follow the people down the length of the hallway. We then changed our idea to incorporate more sound and interaction after we discussed the feasibility of the previously mentioned project. What we came up with was a light fixture that uses ultrasonic sensors to sense when an individual is underneath the fixture. Once activated, the fixture interacts with the surroundings through its colorful light display and harmonious melodies. We created the final design using plexiglass acrylic sheets which we designed in Rhino and then proceeded to cut with the laser cutter.