Woman removing tape from a plastic mat with columns of copper sheets.
Fabrication of the 4ft by 4ft force resistive mat, using a sensor matrix configuration.
Arduino mega circuit with two small breadboards.
Prototyping the sensor circuit.
White image with dark blotches in the center and bottom, loosely in the shape of footprints.
Still of the live footstep visualization.
Computer program window showing a grid of numbers, with darker backgrounds on the cells with higher numbers. A red line encircles each dark background area.
Screenshot of initial tests into footprint detection using the marching squares algorithm.
Hand on a small square mat with copper sheet columns. In front is a laptop displaying a grid of colors. One cell is a dark shade of gray.
Initial small scale prototype of the force-resistive mat.

Trails Overhead

About the project

An interactive installation that explores the concept of presence and perception beyond physical architectures. It consists of a custom made force resistive sensor mat which detects and stores the trails of people's movements on it. These trails are visualized in real time on the floor below, through a ceiling-mounted projection screen. This effectively creates the experience of looking through the ceiling, as if looking at the soles of those occupying the same space directly above.

Trails Overhead was conceptualized and developed by Audrey Oh and Nasif Rincón under the guidance of professor Gabe BC at the NYU ITP graduate program. It was shown at the ITP Winter 2024 Show in Brooklyn, NY.

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