What can you achieve when everything has its place?
With pixels calibrated in 3D spaces, almost an infinite array of possibilities emerge.
Distance, direction, interaction, all of these can be combined to create unique experiences – paint, toggle from afar…
How is it done?
The fundamental part is to have a way to map each pixel in coordinate space.
In this case I’ve used an HTC Vive Wand controller which provides XYZ position. With that, I’ve created a calibration process where each pixel lights up individually and expects the user to place the tracked input close to it and confirm.
The process is fairly quick even for a larger number of pixels, but can of course be optimized in multiple ways – inferring straight lines from start and end points, using camera calibration, etc.
Once this is done, the pixels are in and since they’re static, we can create all sorts of fun interactions using a dynamic input, like the VR controller.
You can see the whole process below in the behind the scenes live stream recording.