Environments

Where Footsteps Play is an interactive path of colorful shapes that encourage a sense of play and belonging. The more people that step on the path, the more it glows and builds up audible music notes and melodies into a complete song. This installation was built both with students and for students, to get a small moment of joy during finals week.

The floor graphics were laser cut and painted balsa wood, and extensive prototyping contributed to the successful integration of LEDs, custom-designed pressure plates, and isolated audio that can be woven together.

Ready Set Stack! is an interactive building block experience designed to bring joy and stress relief to CMU students through childhood play. Randomized building prompts and large glowing blocks that react to touch encourage students to be playful and build together.

Each block is constructed from laser cut wood and wrapped in translucent paper. Conductive tape wraps the edges and connects to an Arduino controller that powers LED lights that are integrated into each block. To add to the fun, a button triggers a new building prompt to be displayed, along with a 2 minute countdown timer.

Photographs are a measure of time, documenting moments that collectively form our personal timelines. Whether physical or digital, they serve as vessels for memory, helping us recall details we might otherwise forget. Though, only when immersed in a photograph do we really relive a moment before it begins to fade again.

This experience was inspired by cyanotype, which is a photographic printing process where UV light develops deep blue images. Negative parts of an image leave white silhouettes behind. This interplay of light and time echoes the fleeting nature of memory. Through overlapping projections and web tracking, this experience prompts visitors to explore the passage of time, not just as an abstract concept but as a deeply personal and collective reflection. Their presence lingers, much like memories themselves, shaping and being shaped by those who come after.

By Karis Choe

Marvel Fracture brings players together to defend the multiverse from enemies in a fast-paced, tabletop showdown. Designed for three players against an AI enemy, this timed bullet-hell game balances teamwork and individual skill. Each session delivers an intimate yet dynamic experience, uniquely shaped by characters and teammates. A responsive spatial UI nforms the players in multiple instances from ambient to diegetic.

By Aarnav Patel

Japan is one of few biodiversity hotspots in the world with thousands of unique species, but innovation for the future comes at a steep cost. This experience seeks to showcase Japan's vast biomes and communicate that technology can be used to protect and preserve. Using breathing patterns as the method of interaction, guests at the pavilion interact with digital seeds to "grow" them into Japan's native plant species. Assisted by Kumo, an AI powered character, life returns and flourishes in the space when everyone works in harmony with each other.

By Helen Zhang

An exhibition of the work of artist Polly Apfelbaum, with a focus on interactivity, play, and community building. The project development included concept and curation, color/type/material exploration, spatial planning and refinement, digital/physical interaction design, 3D digital modeling and rendering, physical scale modeling and basic electronics prototyping.

By Ally Wen

Jambo, the world's first rideable instrument, broadens the future of experimental music, by opening up a genre of producer-skaters who would put on one hell of a live performance. The way it works is that Jambo measures how it’s being ridden through board-embedded IoT sensors, converts those inputs via a microcontroller into MIDI signals, and when connected wirelessly to an audio device, turns dancing into music.

By Eric Zhao and Jiaqi Wang

This project explores how to make invisible data collection visible to occupants of a space. Data Stamp visually represents the real-time values of light intensity and sound, bringing awareness to the Mites sensors in the space. Prototyping the project included experiments with computer vision, illustration, Arduino sensors, and 3D printing.

By Se A Kim

A layered, multi-modal experience that brings stories to life throughout Vancouver International Airport. Whether seen in passing or played with for hours, Pocket Vancouver mixes digital and analog touchpoints to connect people with place.

By Shannon Lin, Chelsea Tang, and Susan Ni

A storytelling experience that includes immersive tunnels and interactive booths at Vancouver International Airport's international departure area. This project promotes Vancouver's natural beauty, cultural heritage, and Indigenous-owned businesses.

By Luca Cao