Touch #2 is a playful virtual environment and an interactive, musical instrument. Viewers become participants through play.
The piece installs on any flat wall with a high ceiling. Sensors mount on top of the wall to detect multitouch. A virtual environment of suns, stars and planets projects onto the wall. Gravity, inertia, friction, and wind are all physically modeled.
Each planet has a unique pitch; participants if they choose can build musical sequences. As people moved their hands along the wall a magical sound would accompany.
Touch #2 is designed to be more like a traditional analog instrument than a digital interface. Partipants do not have the direct control they are used to from more traditional interfaces such as keyboard, buttons, and mice. This creates the opportunity for them to interact more deeply with the piece, naturally changing their motions to be more beautiful and a part of the art itself. It seemed to capture a lot of kids’ imaginations as well.
