I looked after the hardware on this interactive installation for Airside. A kind of Lemon Jelly-ish chillout room, it is a reactive, animated onscreen magic forest inside a huge wooden crate, with characters, music and sound effects triggered by visitors as they walk around inside.

The installation uses infra-red sensors to trigger sound and visuals: as people ‘step into the light’ (indicated by visuals projected on to the floor), the musical score evolves, various effects and loops come in and out, and onscreen animals start to sing and dance about.

I wired everything up using basic MIDI triggering and built the basic software engine in Max/MSP alongside Guy Moorhouse (Flash programming) and Kwok Fung Lam (animation), with character design and direction from the rest of the Airside crew. The music and sound effects were composed by Fred Deakin (one half of a band called Lemon Jelly and big boss man at Airside).

Move up and down, and the octopii follow you…

These guys follow you along their little branch.

Building the prototype in Airside’s basement:

Testing the IR sensors overhead:

The main view from the Walker Gallery:

Little peep holes let you see what's going on inside:

The main view as you enter:

These chaps jump out of the ground near where you stand:

These guys run away from wherever you stand:

Setting up the projection screen:

Using mirrors to squeeze a longer projector throw into a smaller space

Fitting the projection screen:

Wiring up the ceiling sensors on top

Insyde was commissioned as part of the 2006 Liverpool Biennial and was on exhibit at the Walker Gallery from September 2006 – February 2007.