Drop Ceiling

‘Drop Ceiling’ implements an open-source hardware and software system to transform ubiquitous office lighting into an interactive installation. It responds to the movement and position of people on the sidewalk using data from a LIDAR sensor array.

Each lighting unit is constructed from three 2 ft X 2ft LED ceiling lights that are connected via 3D printed connectors. A custom hardware controller dynamically adjusts the brightness of each panel by interfacing with its standard 0 – 10V dimming protocol. All four of the units are networked together to allow them to uniformly respond to the position information from the LIDAR sensor. Over time, the panels will develop an animated language to communicate with passers-by throughout the day and night.

This work is the latest in a research series from Puckett Research & Design that investigates how contemporary forms of Machine Vision can be re-purposed for playful interactions. All control software and design files are available via the Drop Ceiling Github.