An interactive sound sculpture installation exploring themes of electronic waste, planned obsolescence, and environmental decay. The piece depicts a dead tree mutating with discarded electronics and post-consumer trash, emerging from a simulated landfill as a dystopian monument to overconsumption.
Developed over a three-month period by a three-person team, the installation was designed for unattended operation and user-driven exploration during a three-day public exhibition at Iowa State University’s Student Innovation Center. Audience interaction was intentionally subtle and discoverable, encouraging curiosity and repeated engagement rather than explicit instruction.
I was responsible for all hardware and software systems, including sensor design, interaction logic, sound design, MIDI systems, and generative behavior. Physical interactions triggered sound playback and sent continuous MIDI control values that dynamically altered audio and visual output in real time. The sculpture incorporated voice synthesis to speak phrases such as “Control,” “Alt,” “Depleted,” and “Planned Obsolescence,” reinforcing the conceptual tone.
The entire structure was fabricated from recycled and found materials, using a dead tree as the primary framework. Technology included Raspberry Pi, a dedicated mini PC, custom sensor circuits, addressable LED strips, and a real-time audiovisual pipeline built with Processing, MIDI, and Strudel.js. Generative AI tools were used during early concept ideation and visual iteration.
The installation was set up in a single day, operated reliably throughout the exhibition without failure, and required no onsite supervision once live.
