“ An interactive installation based on slow technology ”
Sissy (Sound-driven, Interactive, Self-conscious, System) is the outcome of an internship project at the Visual Experience Department at Philips Research in Eindhoven. Together with Lizette Reitsma I have been working on designing an interactive installation for a hotel lobby environment. The installation is based on the principles of slow technology. Read on...
With this philosophy in mind we designed an interactive installation consisting out of flipdots, small chips (one side black, one side white) which when mechanically turned by means of a electromagnetic pulse make a very distinguish sound. The black side of the flipdots indicate the environment of Sissy and the white side represent Sissy. When it is too busy Sissy retrieves to his “home” (left side of the grid) and when it becomes quiet again he cautiously takes a peak outside and slowly leaves his home.
A distance sensor was used to increase the anxious character of Sissy. When you come to close near the installation, it will retrieve instantly. The white side of the flipdots are used for the projecting of visuals. These visuals can be adjusted to the circumstances in order that it fits within the atmosphere of the hotel. Because of the visible technique of the flipdots and the complementary sound, it invites you to reflect on the installation and to think about the system behind it.
Impression of the inspiration & idea booklet for communicating and registering our ideas
Physical and digital models for experimenting with different shapes and forms
Flash was used to program the behavior of Sissy. The first picture shows the scheme of the program structure for the system. The second picture shows different generated patterns by using different parameter inputs.

Unfortunately the flipdots were not available before the end of the internship. When the flipdots finally arrived the system has been programmed and put together by Tom Bergman of the Visual Experience Department at Philips. Hadewig Boerman an internship student has continued the project and has designed the behavior of Sissy for the STRP festival (see news).











