Denver International (DEN) has unveiled “Open Windows,” an experimental digital customer experience on the B Concourse.
The exhibit uses 128 custom fabricated LED rings of light and a 3-dimensional motion-detection camera to create an 11-foot-tall interactive tower of lights that reacts to people’s movements. It can be programmed with games and other experiences to change passenger interactions over time so that no two visits are the same.
The airport “is working to improve the overall customer experience for our travelers, and we wanted to find a way to create an installation in which travelers could play, enjoy and engage in a unique way that they wouldn’t find at other airports,” says John Ackerman, chief commercial officer.
Denver-based Signal-to-Noise Media Labs created the digital experience, which combines elements of art, entertainment and technology to create an interactive activity. The development team was led by Jeff Merkel, a lecturer in physics and recording arts at the University of Colorado-Denver, where he teaches acoustics, audio production and music technology.
The exhibit contains more than 2,000 feet of wires, 7,680 individual LED lights, two computers and 1,400 pounds of steel. The motion tracking sensors respond to depth, skeletal tracking and sound.
“Open Windows is an interactive light experience that engages users with motion and sound controllers,” Merkel says. “It’s a puzzle, game and generative piece that will continue to evolve in fun and interesting ways.”
