Project description

The Tryphons consist of 2 meters wide flying automata filled with helium. They are equipped with remote-controlled motors that allow to control their flight behaviours. Their cubic shape make them original candidates to act as projection screens. Cameras and projectors installed in the room allow to project videos onto the surfaces of the cubes while in flight. Videos are deformed in real time to adapt to the shape of the cubes.

The design and construction of the flying cubes started in 2004 based on a concept by Nicolas Reeves, design professor at UQÀM. Sébastien Roy, computer science professor at Université de Montréal and his computer vision laboratory joined the project to develop an adaptative projection system. The last presentation of the project took place in Paris at the Grand Palais during the 2008 edition of the festival Les étés de la danse. Elektra videos were mixed and projected in real time on the cubes during their live performance. Jason Lewis' installation Cityspeak was also projected on the cubes, it allowed the crowd to text messages on the flying cubes.

Public presentations

July 21st-23rd 2008
Festival des étés de la danse at the Grand Palais, Paris, France

Credits

Flying automata concept and design
Nicolas Reeves
Flying automata ingineering
David St-Onge
Flying automata construction
Geneviève Larouche, Christine Terreault and Kévin Roquet
Adaptative projection system development
Sébastien Roy, Louis Bouchard, Nicolas Martin and Lucie Bélanger


Video creation
Elektra and VJs Baya, Les Crazy Tapis et Gridspace
Cityspeak from Jason E. Lewis