The Looking Glass is an audiovisual interactive installation that responds to individuals by creating an altered representation of users. Participants enter a dark room with a fibre optic wall, which is activated by the movement and projects a distorted silhouette of the participants through the individual glowing strands of fibre optics. Any sound emitted by the user will be echoed and cause the projections to change colour based on volume. The installation allows participants to develop an awareness of an alternative self, which encourages interaction and reflection. It explores the line between the digital and physical using fibre optic.

1. The Looking Glass
Body Interface
Final Project
Jessica Yu
Jin Fan
Justin Mah
Kyle Jung
David Ko

2. Design Concept
• The Looking Glass is an audiovisual interactive installation that responds to approaching individual by creating an altered
representation of the user. Participants enter a dark room with a fibre optic wall standing in the centre. As participants pass
by, the wall is activated by the movement and projects a distorted silhouette of the participants through the individual
glowing strands of fibre optics.
• Participants can use their body as an instrument to interact and alter their distorted silhouette by moving their body and
touching the fibre optics. Any sound emitted by the user will also be echoed back and cause the projections to change color
based on the user’s volume. The idea is to allow participants to develop an alternate awareness of self as they are
encouraged to touch and interact with their silhouette and develop emotions through the body encounter and reflection. It
also aims to explore the line between digital and physical, using the tangible fibre optic materials to represent the notion of
digital pixels.

3. Conceptual Research I
Wooden mirror by Daniel Rozin
• Mechanical mirrors that uses 830 square pieces of wood
• Hooked up to an equal number of motors that move wooden
blocks based on the data captured from built in camera.
• The camera detects movement in light and reflects an image of
the person standing in front of this piece on its surface.
• Similarities:
• Output: user reflection based on data captured
from camera
• Concept of Exploring the line between digital and
physical- Both uses tangible materials (i.e. wood,
fibre optics) to represent digital pixels.
• Difference:
• The experiences differ in terms of the sensory
modalities explored:
– Multimodal vs. intermodal
• Integrate sense of touch
• Atmosphere

4. Conceptual Research II
Fibre optic cloud by MIT
• An organic sculpture that reacts to human interaction
• Propose innovative technologies and sensory experiences for trade show concepts
• Hundreds of sensors and over 15,000 fibre optics; Constructed of carbon glass and
over 4 meter high
• Encourages visitors to touch and interact with information in new ways, manifest
emotions through sound and light. (i.e. by lightly touching the fibre optic areas,
visitors can call up texts/images that provide useful information and suggestions for
the trade show experience)
• Similarities:
• The use of materials and implementation (i.e. fibre optics as the carrier
of light)
• Sensory Modality: Touch, Visual, Audio
• Playfulness & migrating forms
• Difference:
• Environment (i.e. organic shape vs. solid wall)
• Scope of the project

5. Conceptual Research III
Body Mover by ART + COM (interface exhibition at the expo 2000):
• Interactive multi-user installation that uses the body as an
interface.
• Players could interact with other visitors and the surrounding
physical objects in 20x5 meter space
• Camera detects presence of visitors and displays digital aura
under the person’s feet on the floor.
• Players can manipulate the glow by movement and hit any of the
objects on the floor to create different sound (i.e. extend hand in
one direction)
• Similarities:
– Implementation (camera tracking system & silhouette
projections on surface)
– Embodiment (player’s can influence the projection through
body movement & dynamic visual and acoustic experience)
• Difference:
• Social Media Aspect (multi-user installation) & level
of interaction

6. Technical Research
1. Instructable with the IR camera in order to isolate clean silhouette
2. Springboard by Greg Corness
Material specs:
• Fibre optics
• Fabric
• Wood & screws
• Household glue
• Corner brackets
• Canvas for small matrix
• Tapes, chalks and strings
• Projector
• Webcam, microphone and speakers

7. Implementation
a. The Experience:
• Sound and silhouette are revealed through audience
interaction:
• The silhouette is ambiguous and represents other’s
perception of the users
• Self awareness is increased when users hear their own voice
(i.e. our voice sound
• different to us compare to how it sounds to outside source)
• Users can alter their silhouette by touching the fibre optics –
blurring the boundary
• between reality and reflection
• Intermodal sensory experience – sound input augments
visual senses
b. Flow of logic
• camera motion tracking environment

8. System Diagram
microphone input
webcam input
Computer
Projector
Speakers

9. Reflection/Future Plan
• Higher resolution
• Time management
• Incorporating more element of touch into the project