Memory Observatory

The Memory Observatory was an a brand activation and installation at SXSW for the launch of Kodak Alaris’s new Moments app. Moments aims to fill a gap left by digital technology – while we are able to record and share memories more easily than ever before, there’s scarcely time in our media-inundated lives for reflection and storytelling. The Memory Observatory provided a quiet, reflective space amidst the hustle of SXSW for guests to relive their most lasting and intimate moments among total strangers. Guests could upload a photo of a significant personal memory and would be recorded as they shared the story behind it. Each photo was displayed in the kaleidoscopic Reflection Room while their story was played back for them, interspersed with environmental audio.

Working with a distributed team of artists, designers, fabricators and developers, I was responsible for building an API to store uploaded images and facilitate realtime communication among four applications used in different parts of the experience. Guests could upload images by text message or using the Kodak Moments app, which would later be coded for emotional affect using a custom iPad app, and ultimately displayed by projection inside the Reflection Room with the help of a Processing sketch. All three applications had to be in constant communication, as the timing of the show was tightly controlled. Using a synchronized timer and various other feedback mechanisms, a production manager could orchestrate the entire show from a dashboard web app.

Roles

  • Full-Stack Development
  • API Engineering
  • UX Design

Technologies

  • Node.js
  • Heroku
  • AWS
  • SMS
  • Websockets
  • React Native
  • Processing
  • MongoDB
  • Mocha
  • Git
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