Interactive Objects & Installations

Interactive installations within an exhibition that can supply a one-to-one dialog with one as well as with several visitors at the same time. These interactive installations are integrated into the exhibition space as well as into the narrative of the exhibition. Their function might be to impart knowledge or a sensuous experience e.g. temperature. Aside from the dialog between information and visitor, this type of installation element encourages visitors to communicate with one another. A well designed installation whose visitors have little affinity to interactive systems, invites them to observe other visitors interacting and enable them to become involved into the process of knowledge transfer and experience.

Instrumental: Flight Simulator, (1975-)

The flight simulator is used to make pilots familiar with dangerous flying situations and training pilots to be or for the inspired enthusiast. It is a full body experience, that stimulates multiple senses also the activity could be described as functional and instrumental, as there is the goal of e.g. flying the plane from A to B and the different tasks involved of keeping the virtual plane intact and coping with complex situations it is a functional and instrumental installation although it contains essential experiential qualities. The immersiveness of the situation and environment and the body experience might be compared to driving a car, yet are much more complex and rational. Research results have given evidence that the drivers perception incorporates the dimensions of the car into his own “body perception” and statement like “I bumped into the curb” may be taken quite literal.

Experiential ”Beware Satellite”, Sensorium, (1997)

“Beware Satellite” consists of a metal plane onto which a longitudal slice of a weather satellite image is projected and regularly updated. The infrared data encoded within the colours of the image is transformed by Peltier-elements, which are located underneath the plate, into temperature differences of the projection surface and allows visitors to actually feel the temperature of the according place on earth by touching the plane.