(Check out our midterm project proposal presentation!)
Imagine this! What if we created a forest space that embodied an abstract aesthetic, while still evoking the feel and the message of deforestation/reforestation? Drum roll please!….We plan on suspending some of the trees upside down from the ceiling and having some of the trees placed normally on the ground. Additionally, we plan to demonstrate a bridging connection between a virtual forest world and our physical forest environment. When we think of a forest, we think of a massive environment that is habitat to thousands of species of wildlife. Therefore, the virtual environment can act as an expansion of the physical environment. This would essentially give the forest a more realistic perception. We can do this through having a projection on a wall of a virtual representation of “Fading Forest’s” trees. As a result, whatever actions that are done in the real environment, would have similar effects implemented in the virtual environment(cause and effect). For example, if one of the “trees” in “Fading Forest” is cut down, the tree and the wildlife in the virtual forest can disappear and/or reappear when the tree is “replanted.” Deforestation does not just affect an ecosystem, but the entire planet earth. An abstract generative art piece of planet earth will also be projected on one of the walls. This blog will further discuss in detail about the physical and virtual environments below.
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT(THE GROUND & CEILING)
The physical environment of “Fading Forest” will involve using two laser lights that will be on top or inside of a preferably transparent structure(acrylic leds). Thus, this structure, will represent the flora of the forest. Essentially, we want to have 3 types of modes for the exhibition (green, multi colored and red). The green lasers would represent the life emitted from the flora. The multi coloured neopixels would showcase the tree having new growth. The red lasers would be a representation of the forest on fire which can be a second mode of deforestation users can experience.
We also want to integrate the sound of animals and insects to provide a more immersive and realistic feel to the forest space. The idea further escalates to having randomized/spontaneous sounds of an axe chopping and a chainsaw that would output from a speaker. This would be done to emulate that the tree is being cut down by someone. Once these sounds are activated, a motor will cause the structure to bend. The green lasers will also shut off, signifying the destruction of the tree. We also want to have the sounds of the animals and insects slowly fade away as the trees are being “cut.” This would further symbolize despair and the probable element of extinction of the wildlife. The forest fire mode would also also be randomized and will involve crackling sounds made to emulate fire. This would be where the lasers would switch from green to red. The ceiling trees would be slightly different in terms of its design and mechanics. Instead of using acrylic leds for the “trunk” dowels will be used. When the trees are being “cut” down, the ceiling trees would move from side to side using motors. For safety reasons, the lasers would be replaced with neopixels which would still display all 3 modes of light (green, red and multicolored) depending on which deforestation act occurs. Essentially, the users will have no idea when the acts of deforestation will occur within the space. This would further provide the users with an element of surprise and the feeling of not being in control of what is happening initially. Previously, the idea was to use an axe and have users use the axe to “cut” the trees physically. However, we decided to retract this idea because what if the user does not feel comfortable with using this tool. We do not want to have the exhibition become heavily reliant upon if users use the axe to trigger movements. We also do not want that the space to become a game of cutting down the most amount of trees. The users are supposed to be the ones who are given the opportunity to be a part of change and unity in reforestation, not causing the negative actions.
The installation will also allow the users the opportunity to “replant” the “trees” through the use of RFID tags, sewn on a glove. Instead of using the pressure sensors as mentioned in the previous blog post. The RFID tag will allow users to “replant” the trees without actually touching them. The users just have to be really close to the bent trees. Consequently, this will trigger the servo/ motor which will allow the bent “trees” to return to their original positions. Thus, turning on the multi coloured neopixels that would signify new growth as well as the wildlife sounds. The “replanting” of the “trees” by the users, will be used as a way to demonstrate how mankind can reverse the act of deforestation. The multi coloured neopixels would eventually change to the green lasers again, emphasizing the end of the growth process. The red show lights in ACW 103 can also be triggered for a fiery effect for the forest fire mode. In order to stop the forest fires , any light source can be shown on a photoresistor, the light will represent water.
N.B. all the regular lights in the room will be turned off !
SYSTEM DESIGN
THE ABSTRACT PLANET EARTH
As mentioned above, the entire planet is being impacted through the acts of deforestation. An abstract generative art of planet earth will be represented with the use of green “squiggly” lines. Every time any act of deforestation occurs the green lines would slowly start changing to brown and vice-versa. Once the entire representation becomes brown, this would signify that the earth has become barren.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
If our project gets selected, its further development would involve the use of the Kinect to detect user's movements within the space. This detection would allow for the simulation of gentle wind movements showcased through the trees. For example, if users are within the eastward direction of the space, the functioning trees within that direction will move gently side to side as well as trigger rustling sounds.