I was introduced to Arduinos 2 years ago at an Interactive Media design class. Although I couldn’t find practical application outside educational purposes, today I’ve found so many ways to use an arduino in creating gadgets, displays, and installations. I’m sure that with time the arduinos will evolve to handle a lot more complex DIY gadgets, than just simple projects to introduce the use of microprocessors in today’s world. For sure the world of entertainment has found an ally to bring to life many brilliant ideas that in the past would’ve involve a complex set of human resources. But today a kid fresh from High School can elaborate a program and make tricks with the use of an arduino and some led lights or micro controllers. In my experience no other area has benefited more from the use of Arduinos like the installation artist. The versatility of the arduino allows them to set up displays that with the use of a battery can run by itself, without a great amount of support. It’s simple, compact, and rugged. Excellent for this type of venues. I haven’t decided yet on a specific project, but I’m definitely looking at lighting, musical, and image projection installations. I’ve been approached by an artist from The Box Theater, who’s interested in producing a live video show involving a switch between live and recorded content. I don’t know if an Arduino could be a solution for this project, but I’m looking in to it. Anytime I look into these gadgets, I’m trying to stay in the area of practicality, is it going to evolve, or is it a drag? If it can evolve then there’s potential. If it’s a drag, PASS!!!!
check out the video from The Box
Installation by YCAM
As a theatre enthusiast myself, I can tell you that I’m really excited at the possibilities that exist in incorporating the brains of Arduino into theatrical productions. You may want to look into the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (http://lamama.org). As their name implies, they’re very experimental and they’re known to incorporate a lot of technology into their productions. Pushing their boundaries even further with the level of control of Arduino, they have the potential really do some amazing things that’s never been done before.