Introducing Where the Sky Widens

Over the next few months I’m going to be working on a series of workshops as part of the final module of an MA I’ve been studying for.

Where the Sky Widens centres around use of paper pods that are aware of where they are in relation to a specific place – somewhere you have a strong emotional connection to – and they will shift their weight in your hands as you walk in the direction of that place, no matter how distant it is.

I’m currently at the stage where I’m prototyping the design of the pods so that they work as things that participants can construct within a few hours. This is involving much learning with 3D CAD software, paper nets and laser-cutting different types of paper and card.

A paper net about to be folded and glued

…and the results!

There’s a bit of refining to be done to the design of the pods, but we’re getting there. Meanwhile I’m also underway with the positional processing and haptic feedback. Yes this involves gluing nuts onto welding rods.