Microsoft has made an interactive art installation called the ‘Cube.’ It was unveiled at the local Seattle Decibel Festival for electronic music, visual art, and new media.
The Cube is a four foot cube that rests on a two foot metal base. It’s made out of custom-fabricated screens which are made out of a projection material and clear acrylic. These screens showcase virtual images that you can influence with physical movements. The advantages these screens have over LCD’s is that you can see through the cube. Why is this important, you ask?
Well, the Cube is the catalyst for a futuristic dance party. You stand around the cube, and it reacts to you and the music. It is powered by Kinects, projectors, CPUs and more that are housed in the metal base. Using the Kinects, it can analyze up to three people on each side. Not only will you see it react to the music and you, but you can see it react to people on the other side by looking through the cube. Through this, the Cube lets you dance with people that you’re not really dancing with in a traditional sense.
The Cube represents the new culture and vision of Microsoft. A Microsoft that is more open, and one that provides the tools for you to create awesome things. Notably, it was made by a variety of Microsoft employees coming together to solve the various challenges involved in creating a piece that blends technology and art.
Microsoft promises that this is only the beginning, and there is potential to create bigger cubes, and multiple cubes that talk to each other. To find out more about the technical challenges, and how the Cube was built, read Microsoft’s blog here and watch the company’s video below.
