Microsoft Cube in action. Looks like a fun device for a club or art project... (via Microsoft)
Sometimes a tech company’s best intentions can go astray. Take, for example, Microsoft’s Cube, a Kinect-powered interactive art installation that is supposed to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen… except, that you have seen it before…
The Microsoft Cube is a cube structure composed of five, four-foot-tall, clear acrylic-coated, transparent projection screens. It is an interactive art/technology installation that gives off an interactive light show that responds to sound and movement. For example, when someone dances in front of one of the cube’s screens, the shape and movement of their body is mimicked by a reflection of bright color (think old iPod commercials). The same happens when music is played near the Cube. While this idea is definitely not original as far as LED or light-centered interactive art is concerned, Microsoft’s methodology is at least notable.
The Cube is made possible by interconnecting four Kinect systems, five computers and five projection screens in such a way that all units work as a cohesive system, a project which took a team of techies months to figure out. Regardless, it is done and the finished Cube was featured at this year’s Decibel International Festival for Electronic Music, Digital Art and New Media in Seattle, WA. While in my opinion Microsoft won’t be taking the place of MIT or Google any time soon (as far as world leader in innovation goes), Microsoft was successful in creating an art installation that combined art and technology.
The purpose of the Cube was to inspire others to get more creative with technology. The project set out to pose the question ‘what could happen if technology-based innovation met art and had a baby?’ Hopefully children more useful than the Cube would be born, but at least Microsoft asked the question. Now, sit back and give the big boys (and the new kids on the block) some time to answer.
C
See more news at: