GalaxyMirror is a group project created in Spring 2024 for the Interface Design / Programming III course at Escola Superior de Media Artes e Design (ESMAD) in Instituto Politecnico do Porto.
The team consisted of Guste Narijauskaitė, Emilija Račkauskaitė, and Ahmet Serdar Karakurt.
The team consisted of Guste Narijauskaitė, Emilija Račkauskaitė, and Ahmet Serdar Karakurt.
Concept
GalaxyMirror is an interactive installation that transforms each visitor’s silhouette into a constellation of stars and invites them to explore a virtual Solar System. Using a Kinect depth-camera, the mirror captures the user’s outline, fills it with animated particles controlled by gestures, and places it among orbiting planets. Visitors navigate between planets using a joystick, while on-screen labels show planet names and surface temperatures. Subtle ambient sounds enhance the experience, turning a simple mirror into a playful astronomy lesson.
Technologies
Vision & Interaction: Kinect with SimpleOpenNI (Processing) — Used to capture depth data and track the user’s body silhouette.
Graphics & Logic: Processing — Handles rendering of stars, planets, UI elements, and scene logic.
Sound: Minim (Processing) — Plays ambient music and planet-specific sound effects.
Physical Controls: Arduino with joystick and LEDs (using Firmata & Serial) — Allows switching between planet views and provides visual feedback via LEDs on the breadboard.