Space Messengers is a multi-artist immersive mixed reality installation that travels to festival and museums around the world. We call it MR (Mixed Reality) because it bridges real and virtual experiences. Space Messengers visualizes data, collecting and displaying messages from an international youth exchange program. Students use our custom platform called the Space Board to co-write thoughts and questions in discussion with scientists, artists, philosophers, futures thinkers and cultural specialists communicating the science they learned and sharing their thoughts and wishes for a sustainable interplanetary future. These messages are seen floating on the wall along with interactive body silhouettes. As people approach the projection, sensor cameras mimic their silhouette movements which are then seen projected onto the building/wall filled with a mosaic of ‘particles’. The participant moves with their silhouette and as they come closer they trigger one of over 100 video clips. These videos are created from the interdisciplinary discussions that take place through the internal exchange. The live audience can also text space messages in real time at the event. A soundscape created integrating NASA space sounds and nature sounds sets the mood for the immersive experience.
Interactive Projection Wall
As people approach the projection, sensor cameras mimic their silhouette movements which are then seen projected onto the building/wall filled with a mosaic of ‘particles’. As they come closer, the mosaic zooms into a video clip or drawing, related to the Space Messengers workshop revealing a glimpse of our exploration of the universe through the lens of the students, artists and scientists.
A social VR/MR experience
We create a 3D model of the building on to which we are projecting for each event. We then import the building model into the Space Messengers virtual platform and livestream the projection on to the virtual wall to create a virtual simulation of the physical projection. This creates a virtual meeting place for students and the live audience to enter and interact with participants joining from around the world as part of the Global VR Youth Day.