Center of Attention (aka Limelight)
Exploratorium, San Francisco
Funding: $1.75M NSF award
User research: formative / summative
This exhibit demonstrates how powerful our perception of social interactions can be, even when it’s only a simulated experience of standing in front of an audience. You enter a small matte black room and the system senses your presence. Flood lights turn on that shine on your face, then you're prompted to speak. As you talk, a simulated audience responds with cheers, jeers, laughter, etc. Reverb applied both to your amplified voice and crowd sounds create a strong illusion that you’re on stage.
Co-developed with Jessica Strick.