Heliantux is a user input device to create solar power. It is an interactive object that was exhibited as part of a group installation at the Zauberwald in Lenzerheide and at the PUNKT exhibition.
ZHdK – Physical Computing, 2018
The project Heliantux, was created in the Physical Computing course. Physical Computing is about interactive objects that can respond to events in the real world. The events can be general environment changes or user interactions. The objects respond in any kind of way to the input.
The project task was clearly defined, the goal was to create an installation for the light, music and culinary arts festival Zauberwald in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The whole thing was a class project and supported by the power stations Zurich (EWZ). Our task was to develop six input devices that will later be used to control a visualization that has been developed in the following course “Interactive Visualization”. Each input device was themed on renewable energy resources in Switzerland. The available energy sources are water, solar and wind. The visitors should be able to “generate” electricity by interacting with the objects.
Our team of three dealt with the energy resource solar and tried to implement the topic in a playful way for the visitors. The idea we finally realized was inspired by a sunflower and a solar tracker. The flowerlike thing follows the light; the visitor can tease the head of the object with a flashlight. All six exhibits, two solar, two water and two wind were shown together with the self-created visualizations at the Zauberwald. We were able to exhibit the entire installation at PUNKT for a second time.
© Edna Hirsbrunner 2022
Heliantux is a user input device to create solar power. It is an interactive object that was exhibited as part of a group installation at the Zauberwald in Lenzerheide and at the PUNKT exhibition.
ZHdK – Physical Computing, 2018
The project Heliantux, was created in the Physical Computing course. Physical Computing is about interactive objects that can respond to events in the real world. The events can be general environment changes or user interactions. The objects respond in any kind of way to the input.
The project task was clearly defined, the goal was to create an installation for the light, music and culinary arts festival Zauberwald in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The whole thing was a class project and supported by the power stations Zurich (EWZ). Our task was to develop six input devices that will later be used to control a visualization that has been developed in the following course “Interactive Visualization”. Each input device was themed on renewable energy resources in Switzerland. The available energy sources are water, solar and wind. The visitors should be able to “generate” electricity by interacting with the objects.
Our team of three dealt with the energy resource solar and tried to implement the topic in a playful way for the visitors. The idea we finally realized was inspired by a sunflower and a solar tracker. The flowerlike thing follows the light; the visitor can tease the head of the object with a flashlight. All six exhibits, two solar, two water and two wind were shown together with the self-created visualizations at the Zauberwald. We were able to exhibit the entire installation at PUNKT for a second time.
© Edna Hirsbrunner 2022