Trail of Traits seeks to encourage exploration of urban spaces through whimsy and problem-solving with ambient interactive media. This project was specifically designed for exhibition at the 2013 Ars Electronica Festival, held in Linz, Austria.
The project takes shape as a collection of four interactive discovery boxes which lead participants on a trail throughout a given city or event. These boxes sense the presence of those passing by, and chime, in order to capture audience attention. When opened, these boxes illuminate to reveal a riddle, which must be solved to find the next box along the journey. This novel take on a scavenger hunt spans across various cultural landmarks around the installation site. The boxes are coated with patterns which compliment their given location, whilst interior patterns are an additional clue to the next location that is part of the trail. The trail has no beginning or end point – users will simply stumble across one of these boxes and their adventure will commence!
A key aim of this project was to help tourists uncover exciting cultural aspects of a city, while also providing locals with an opportunity to experience their city in new and novel ways.
Collaboration with Alice Brown
Project Details
Name: Trail of Traits
Year: 2013
Materials: acrylic, rare earth magnets, screws, wire, vinyl adhesive paper, bells
Software: Adobe Illustrator
Hardware: LEDs, PIR motion sensor, hall effect sensor, servo motor, Arduino Uno
Awards/accolades
First exhibited publicly in the Ars Electronica Festival, the world’s premiere event for public, electronic and interactive art in Linz, Austria, 2013.
Exhibited in the 2014 iteration of SHAPE of Things to Come at QUT, Brisbane, Australia.