Cascade
Interactive installation
CHENG Long Hin, Porsche 鄭朗軒
Abstract
Cascade is an interactive digital installation which provides an immersive experience of user-interaction with flowing water and pebbles. Based on human interactions, virtual projections of a cascade and a shoal of fish are effected.
Description
Cascade is an interactive digital installation which provides an immersive experience of user-interaction with flowing water and pebbles. Based on human interactions, virtual projections of a cascade and a shoal of fish are effected.
The physical part of the installation composes of two major elements, namely a wooden table and a water ecosystem. The table is served as a water reservoir as well as an interaction interface while the water ecosystem provides a non-stop water flow for the water reservoir.
On the technical side, the installation is set up with multimedia system consisting of a Mac Pro computer, four projectors, a speaker, a network router, an Xbox Kinect Sensor and an Arduino board. The Arduino board is connected to five relays, two ultrasonic sensors, one infra-red sensor, one water-flow sensor and one water-level sensor for detections and signal transmissions.
There are three major interactions in Cascade.
First, when audience enter the room, the infra-red sensor senses their movement and turns off the table lighting. Projection of a cascade then fades in with sound of waterfall triggering the water ecosystem to be turned on to form a water reservoir.
Second, projection is displayed to remind audience to open the under-table drawer and interact with pebbles. When users open the drawer, the ultrasonic sensor senses the drawer movement and turns the drawer LED on/off.
Third, when users place pebbles on the table, water volume and flow rate of the reservoir will be changed. Therefore, the water-level sensor is used to detect the amount of water for controlling the water overflow and the water-flow sensor is used to transmit serial signals for projections of swimming fish to be mapped onto the reservoir accordingly. Pebbles are detected by the Xbox sensor to avoid fish collisions.
Artist Statement
In my home country, Hong Kong, plants are commonly found on external walls of newly-established buildings upon the emerging idea of urban oasis in metropolitan city. With the old saying, “Water is Life”, water plays an essential role in our life. The question comes: Why there are only plants, but not water, found in newlyconstructed
buildings?
Cascade is therefore set up with the following five objectives.
– to inject elements of nature in a concrete jungle to show respect for nature
– to involve audience taking part in the creation of artwork
– to immerse in the nature-like environment to feel relaxed
– to interact with virtual projection and water in real life
– to integrate skills and knowledge learnt in my student life
With the use of sensor technology and interactive projection mappings, this artwork brings a cascade and a water reservoir from the rural nature to the urban city. Audience are therefore able to immerse into the nature with tactile feeling but without geographical and time limits. Projections are not pre-recorded but lively rendered by a software program to facilitate interactions.
