Put yourself in the spotlight.
Amazing what you can do with technology now isn’t it? Down in London, a group of clever people are proving this by using a selection of clever techniques to construct an interactive lighting experience that takes place in a tunnel and actively reacts to the presence of humans.
Named ‘Walk the Light’, the new, interactive lighting show creates a dynamic lighting show that shines a beam of white light on a passing human and follows them along the tunnel. This is impressive enough to start with, but when the white light is shining the rest of the tunnel is awash with other coloured lights which dynamically change as the person moves. This is designed to represent the ‘flow’ of visitors going through the tunnel on a daily basis, and it will react differently as the day goes on and things get busier.
The experience works by using a combination of LED lights, a thermal imaging camera and even a moving monorail and will run as part of the London Design Festival from the 14th to 23rd of September.
Dominic Harris, the designer behind the project, said: “I am fascinated by light and the interaction of light, architecture and art. Responsiveness is also an essential part of all the projects undertaken by Cinimod Studio. Walk the Light embodies all of these aspects and seeks to capture the imagination of visitors, playfully transforming their experience of arriving at the Museum by mapping the volume of traffic and converting the data into a living expression of the space.”
The project is a joint venture between Harris, his team at Cinimod and lighting manufacuter Philips.
Rowena Priess, who is creative director at Philips, has huge faith in the future of the lighting industry. “The lighting world is undergoing a huge transformation and as a result of LED, the possibilities with light to change and enhance a space are now limitless. Dominic has real vision and takes the flexibility of LED technology to new heights, truly inspiring people to see what light can do.”
If you want to view the mysterious lighting experience, pop yourself down to London’s V&A museum’s exhibition road. Unless you get freaked out by lights tracking you. Which means you should probably avoid it.
It is endorsed by everyone’s favourite mayor Boris Johnson though, who said: “I am delighted to be backing the London Design Festival, which is an unrivalled showcase of some of the best creative ideas from across the UK and around the world.”
Written by Barry Atkins at www.tester.co.uk
