LIVEWINDOW - 2001

Physical inputs control a browser window.

Overview
LiveWindow is a project that attempts to translate the physicality of the real world into the virtual. By viewing LiveWindow on the web, a visitor can see a visual representation of the state of the physical space at anytime.

Prototype
On the physical side I am wiring a space to sense for floor vibration. These values are then relayed to a browser window - which can be accessed at http://www.coin-operated.com/livewindow. If the room senses vibration, the window begins to shake, and its text falls from the force.

LiveWindow also works with other inputs: a light sensory for ambient light changes the background color of the window, a microphone picks up room volume and changes the size of the window, and the amount of movement in the room causes the window to move around accordingly.

System
The project consists of a 4' x 4' box with a monitor on top. The monitor displays a Netscape window with text and a physical hit counter. There is an earthquake sensor on the floor that measures vibration in the room. When someone hits the monitor or jumps in the air, the Geophone sensors send a signal to the computer which then talks over the network through a server which relays the message to the browser window. When the window gets the message, it triggers some local javascript which shakes the window and makes the text fall. It also adds to the physical hit counter.

LiveWindow installed at the Nordic Interactive Conference (Copenhagen, Denmark - 10/31/01):