Virtual & Real: K-Dron and Light

Virtual & Real: K-Dron and Light is the first project from my new series Virtual & Real. It was inspired by Janusz Kapusta's K-Dron shape and its luminous properties when stimulated by light. It is an installation, which connects the viewer with a virtual space through the interaction of physical light and a three dimensional, digital environment composed of K-Dron walls. The combinations of K-Drons and light evoke unique, mosaic like images, which when leaving traces of color create an ever-changing, spontaneous, and surreal blend of two dimensional and three dimensional compositions.

View video of the installation (24.61 MB QuickTime)

Even though, development of computer and telecommunication technologies have increased greatly within the past couple of decades, the way we interact with these technologies has not improved as much. The goal of the Virtual & Real series is to explore more natural ways of human-machine interaction, drifting away from the typical keyboard, mouse and monitor set-up.

Installation and Interaction
A video camera detects the movement of the viewer who waves a glowing stick; the changing physical light controls the virtual light and moving structures in the virtual space projected in front of the viewer. The viewer can experience direct control over the virtual world of K-Drons by using physically disconnected source of light, which is tracked by a camera, analyzed in Director 8.5 and converted into an interactive system, which reacts to the movement of the light. When the viewer waves a glowing stick slowly, he or she controls the position of the virtual light, when the viewer waves the glowing stick quickly, the virtual structures begin to animate in random positions.

Sound by Edward Tang.

This project was made possible in part by grants from New York State Council on the Arts and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council

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