DESCRIPTION
The Wiggle Room is an immersive, interactive experience that transforms children's movements into digital magic. Developed in Unity as a centerpiece of Belfast's 2024 cultural celebrations, this innovative installation bridges the physical and virtual worlds through advanced camera tracking technology.
The experience invites children to step into a space where their real-world movements directly control virtual avatars within Unity, creating an intuitive and engaging interaction that feels natural and responsive. As users move through the physical space, they can interact with various digital objects and environments, fostering creativity and exploration through technology.
The installation ran from September 19th through November 29th at the MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre), providing wonder and engagement for Belfast's young visitors during this special celebration year.
ROLE
As the primary Unity Developer on this project, I implemented the core technical systems that brought The Wiggle Room to life. I was tasked with both software programming as well as hardware infrastructure configuration, offering comprehensive integration of physical tracking with digital engagement. I developed a sophisticated user tracking system that can automatically detect when users enter and exit the range of the camera, providing seamless transitions between physical presence and digital expression. I also implemented an intelligent object management system that orchestrates environmental interactions and responds dynamically to user presence and activity, producing rational interaction that translates natural childhood movement into cohesive digital responses.
CHALLENGES
The biggest challenge in the project was adapting and integrating the hardware. The project initially used Orbbec cameras for the body tracking, and the project required a significant technical change mid-way through development when we switched to using ZED 2i cameras.
This hardware change demanded rapid adaptation and system reconfiguration, testing both technical flexibility and project management skills. Rather than derailing progress, this challenge became an opportunity to demonstrate adaptability and problem-solving under pressure. Through focused effort and systematic approach to the transition, we maintained our original timeline and successfully delivered in the time frame.
This experience reinforced the importance of building flexible, modular systems that can adapt to changing technical requirements—a principle that has informed my development approach going forward.
TECHNICAL
The Wiggle Room was built using Unity3D but involved setting up a complex multi-machine network topology with static IP configuration across several Linux machines installed for body tracking computation, and Unity as the core node of interaction. To enable synchronous timing across all the systems, I configured the Windows machine that is running the project as an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server. The procedure entailed successful deployment and calibration of ZED 2i camera systems for precise, real-time tracking of the body in a public exhibition environment.
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