Gas Connect Austria operates the infrastructure that acts as the central hub in the European natural gas grid. Compressor stations along the pipelines ensure constant flow of gas by cleaning, measuring and compressing it. In the eight compressor stations all over Austria the informational animation by Strukt informs about this process. An interactive version is available on the website of Gas Connect Austria. The print version is used in information brochures.

Strukt created a clean visual language to communicate the complex process:

A map of germany was the starting point for the visitors. They could explore various cities and zoom into individual streets that where associated with real estate projects like shopping malls and retail stores. The application offered a comprehensive overview with blueprints, lists of store sizes and rent-revenues, along with pictures that showed the buildings before and after renovation. Multiple users could browse at the same time because each city had it’s own window that could be moved around, scaled and rotated. This interaction-concept allowed the visitors to share information without disturbing other users.

Visitors continuously using the Strukable’s software

The Struktable was perfectly integrated into the booth’s design

Ambient Control

The Ambient Control application was a very playful tool to control the light- and audio-set-up of the room. With RGB controls people were able to change the color of the lights. Also there was an animation sequence programmed for the lights which could be altered with various sliders. For the audio Strukt created a simplified step-sequencer that allowed people to add or take away layers of sound. Additionally there was a permanent audio track running built out of 3 layers. Using a 2-dimensional control people were able to individually mix the 3 layers to create a unique audio experience.

Pecha Kucha Presenter

The Campus Tour was accompanied by speakers talking about the topic of energy in more or less abstract ways. Strukt was also granted a 6min 20sec slot in the series of Pecha Kucha talks, which Tanja and Gregor used to present the making-of of the RWE Power Table. The presentation software had 2 modes, one running an autmated slideshow and one granting a manual control of the slides. Slides were either skipped with buttons or gestures. Also the slides were mirrored on a second screen.

DJ- / VJ-Control

For the more entertaining part of the day the audience was invited to select their favorite tunes with a very advanced multi-touch juke box and a fun to use VJ software. While one can skip through the singles of different genres, another user can apply audio effects and filters or rearrange the cue list. Another area of the user interface was dedicated to the visuals shown on the secondary monitor. The user was able to create audio-reactive blobs, change the color of the objects and the room and also move objects around with 3d controls.

Some more impressions from the tour:

‘Lightrails’ is a light sculpture with the intention to re-define and re-interpret the exhibition room. An easy but effective mapping technique was used to create seamless projections on both sides of the object. Light-beams were triggered by the visitors and ran through the room, following the surface created by the sculpture. Each ‘reflection’ of the light-beam was accompanied by sound. The speed and brightness of the beam was directly influenced by the force the visitors used when triggering the beam stepping on pedals on the floor. This also influenced the volume of the sound-effects. The audio signal was played back on a surround sound system that allowed a spatial positioning of the sounds and created a truly immersive experience.

The sound-design was courtesy of Digitalofen Audiobakery, which also created the ambient sounds that were pervasive through the room. As usual, we used our favorite real-time multipurpose toolkit to create the installation. The projectors were provided by concept solutions. The construction of the sculpture was kindly supported by INDAT and the whole project was hosted by the sound:frame festival and financed by departure.

Thanks goes out to all of the mentioned organizations and all the individuals that helped us to realize this project!

Announcement of Lightrails in the sound:frame program:

The corporate identity for sound:frame was created by Leo Lass of depart.

Strukt was commissioned to conceptualize, design and realize four interactive stations and a custom video-player. Strukt developed custom-built physical interfaces like valves and levers to enhance usability and make it more fun for visitors to explore the installations. For these installations Strukt developed the interaction concept, graphic- and motion design, as well as the sound design. Strukt implemented the stations in Adobe Flash AS3 using Arduino boards to read the rotary encoders and levers.

House Configurator

This quiz allows two visitors to create an energy-efficient building, where they can not only decide how their house is built, but also see how their daily behaviour influences the energy and CO₂ consumption.

Photo (c) Rupert Steiner

Energy Game

How much energy does it take to heat a cup of tea? Or even a pot with 5 liters of water? At this interactive station visitors can explore how their physical activity translates into heat by moving the three levers.

Photo (c) Rupert Steiner

Flame Game

It is quite a challenge to find the conditions for an optimal flame. By turning the valves, visitors can regulate the fuel and oxygen supply to achieve the optimal flame inside the pre-combustion chamber.

Temperature Game

At this station visitors can discover how wind and humidity influences the subjective temperature. The portrait screen above the three control valves shows two characters that change their behavior, outfit and surroundings corresponding to the setting.

Photo (c) Rupert Steiner

Video Player

In the foyer of the museum a custom-built video player was installed, that allows a configurable news-feed and a custom play-list. Strukt programmed this application in vvvv.

Photo (c) Rupert Steiner

Photo (c) Rupert Steiner

While Mediasquad was providing the concept and design for the application, Strukt realised the programming using VVVV. Realization of this project was done in just about 2 weeks from start to finish and is now on display at the EGLO Headquarters in Pill in Tyrol, Austria.


Video documentary produced by Mediasquad

The configuration application is built on top of an online-database holding all graphic styles so the updating-process is very easy for the Merchzilla crew.

Interactive Telescopes

Looking through one of the interactive telescopes, the visitor gets a view into the world of innovative energy concepts. By physically moving the telescope the whole spectrum of EnBW’s actions could be explored. The topics biogas, biomass, offshore- and onshore-wind parks, photovoltaics and pump storage hydro power plants were accessible via hotspots on the panorama.

The hardware of the interactive telescope was developed by MESO Digital Interiors. All installations were realised with vvvv.

Impulsboard – Interactive Flip Chart

To explain methods for efficient use of energy in factories, the moderator was supported by an interactive flip chart. The illustrations on the chart were animated and could be triggered by the moderator.

Video-Playback Interface

Visitors could select different videos on a touchscreen, which were then shown on the plasma wall.

Additional credits:
All photos by Strukt / Robi Hammerle.
Hardware for the interactive telescopes was built and developed by MESO Digital Interiors (www.meso.net).

Following the magic show, further animation and amusement for the children was provided by the Tagtool artists and Patrick Pätmuckl, who motivated the kids to unleash their imagination and actively participate in operating Tagtool themselves.

The Walt Disney production of “Hexe Lilli” allowed the colourful characters that were based on the same named popular children’s book series created by the author “Knister” to come alive on the big screen. The director was none other than the oscar-winning Austrian filmmaker Stefan Ruzowitzky. The cast included the talented young actress Aline Freund as “Hexe Lilli” and the German comedian Michael Mittermeier who dubbed the loveable animated character “Drache Hektor”.

The enchanting ship “Admiral Tegethoff”, docked on the heart of Vienna’s Danube, hosted the Austrian premier party of “Hexe Lilli”

Michael Mittermeier during the ORF Interview with Tagtool drawings in the background

Visual comments on Magic Cristian’s show

Open Tagtool session with kids

“Searching for Max” via Tagtool and Michael Mittermeier giving an autograph on the tagtool

Product information

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For enquiries and prices please contact Tanja Tomic
+43 1 236 6236-5

The Media Globe is a visual installation featuring a globe and six projectors, showing a fully, seamless and warpfree image. With a diameter of four meters, the Media Globe is an impressive presentation tool and light installation.

Thanks to a unique projection-system it is now possible to completely fill a sphere with moving images and interactive content. This technique opens up new possibilities to display information. Videos, images, text, panorama photos, spherical textures, interactive content and much more can be presented in a new stunning way. The Media Globe is based on an idea by Hans Reitz and was initially developed by MESO Digital Interiors and Strukt’s
technical director Thomas Hitthaler.
The Media Globe was programmed in vvvv.

This 3D-visualization shows the configuration of the Media Globe, and how it can be combined with an architectural projection using the same realtime distortion techniques.

Schematic view of the Media Globe

A multifunctional computersystem running software especially programmed for this installation allows the use of any kind of content. It can be a simple playback of images and videos or a complex realtime visualization of database driven information. The possibilities of what to show are sheer endless.

Media Globe at DLD Conference 2009. Photos by Wolfgang F. Maier.

Showing this installation at product presentation, trade fairs or other events guarantees an extraordinary experience: an impressive, bright sphere with a seamless image all over it, floating in mid-air.

As an art piece the Media Globe can reflect various aspects of its surroundings. The visual shown on the globe can be effected by sound, light, movements of people or any other interaction that one can think of. This makes the installation a lively piece of art, which will attract people’s attention.

Reference projects:
Mercedes-Benz DLD Conference 2009

Additional Credits:
Earth’s City Lights Data by Marc Imhoff (NASA GSFC) and Christopher Elvidge (NOAA NGDC). Earth’s City Lights Image by Craig Mayhew and Robert Simmon (NASA GSFC). Visible Earth Images courtesy Reto Stockli (NASA Earth Observatory). visibleearth.nasa.gov
Initial technical concept for the globe projection by MESO Digital Interiors (meso.net) based on a idea by Hans Reitz (circ performing by experience).

We came up with an interactive, gesture recognizing table installation, inviting guests to take control of the projections’ moods. By simply waving over certain buttons they were able to instantly change the color scheme, saturation or transparency. Additionally there were buttons sending messages to the screens, reflecting the mood of the user.

The interactive installation controlled 8 projectors and an array of LED spots. 3 projectors covered a bended banner of 25 meters length. For this we descewed the projections to be without any visible distortion. Other projectors covered single 16:9 screens spreading all over the venue. All of the projections and controls were handeled by two PCs running our most favourite node based programming language VVVV.

“Bauchklang” in front of our Visuals

The interactive table (left) and the curved 30m canvas (right)

Over 900 people attended the event

A close-up of our visuals

Later that night…

People having fun with the interactive table

Movements trigger the floating objects and all projections in the room react to that interaction