Motion Trace

a dynamic visualization of paths of motion, designed at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program | 2008

Concept

We may mindlessly walk from point A to point B, but everyone has a certain step and personality to their movement. With Motion Trace, I hope to give more weight and meaning to this movement by leaving a record of the motion, with a visualized trace. By adding life to the traces (through their subsequent and independent movement and behavior) and to the space as represented on the screen (through its attempted healing and removal of the trace), a person's path and movement then begins to gain more consequence. And through the observation of the paths' interactions, I hope also to encourage more expression by users in normally mundane or ignored motions.

Production

created with Processing using the video library with motion tracking via a firewire web camera

Installation

A user will walk past the monitor. A color trail will form behind them as they move through the space. Their trail then will immediately begin to affect the screen. Their specific trail will spread throughout the network of pixels, a representation of the space in front of the screen (which the camera sees). As other users enter, their traces too will affect the space. If users only watch the space (without entering it), the space will slowly heal itself, and the traces will fade away.

The video below is from an installation of Motion Trace recorded on December 17, 2008.