Between June and May 2014 I collaborated with Harvey and John for the creation of Tweeting Willow. This interactive installation, commissioned by Microsoft for Microsoft World Partner Conference in Washington DC., explored new ways of engaging visitors.
The installation is activated by a tweet with the specific hashtag from the event. As the tweet is sent an animation with a bird landing on a branch starts on one of the tablets. As the bird touches the three the connected metal "branch" gently starts bowing terminating its slope in front of the visitor revealing the original tweet that initiated the interaction.
Once all 9 branches have bowed to the visitors, they armonically move back to their initial position while the animation showing the birds flying off. New tweets are then welcome to be received again.
Nine Surface tablets make up the tree canopy, guests can change the #tag that activate the mechanism as well as manually manipulate the branches, the content displayed, the height and try some predetermined behaviours.
The installation took our team a total of 5 weeks to develop, test and deliver.
The installation comprised 10 Microsoft Surface Tablets, 9 Linear Actuators, 1 Arduino, 1 Airport Extreme, 1 Power supply as well as the custom made metal "Tree".
The tablets are all wirelessly communicating to a central master tablet that sends out the inputs using OSC communication.
Two custom made softwares where developed using Max/MSP to send and receive information, select the correct tweet, activate the linear actuators, start,loop and stop the animation and create the behaviour to allow the public to play around with the installation.
Thanks for Watching !
If you have any more specific questions about the technicality of
the whole project or any curiosity about it, comment below and I'll be
happy to answer them.
