Words on your way

Minimal media extensions in public space
Project by eva offenberg

Escalator Berlin Südkreuz

My project deals with the medial extension of an escalator. They are unremoveable from the urban public space; we use them daily. What could we change in the situation of using an escalator or at the escalator itself?

Messages (here visualized as green dots) are "written" on the handrail

Scenario:
When stepping on the escalator, next to you a bright glowing text begins to appear. It starts at the beginning of the escalator, the moment the person steps on the escalator. Word after word becomes readable, and accompanies the user on the way up. When going further upstairs, the text starts to disappear slowly. As the user arrives at the end of the escalator, it's not recognizable any more; the scene has come back to its beginning.

As examples some quotes, which correspond with their statement to the direction of movement, "up" and "down", or stairs in general. They should acconpany the user, and so make the place for everyone personal to a special meaningful place. The quotes are chosen randomly.

Prototype at an escalator, Berlin Alexanderplatz

Function:
A small box is attached at the beginning of the escalator, containing a wheel and LEDs. When the escalator starts moving, because a person comes close to it, the wheel starts turning. The wheel is connected to a motor, which then produces electricity because of the rotation. Therefore the box is an completely autonomous object, getting all the energy it needs directly from the movement of the escalator, like a parasite.

Turning wheel is powering the LEDs , Berlin Alexanderplatz

The produced energy is used to power the LEDs when the escalator is in movement.

LEDs write on phosphorescent colour.

The handrail is covered with phosphorescent colour (better known as "glow-in-the-dark"). The LEDs activate this colour with a short light impulse and make it glowing. By turning on and off quickly, the LEDs only illuminate some parts of the colour. Because of that, they can "write" type out of small light-dots.

Glowing type.

Underpass Berlin Alexanderplatz

As location for the installation, an underpass in Berlin Alexanderplatz was chosen as example. Situated at the end of a network of underground ways, even in the daytime only a few people drop by. It's gloomy, grey and dirty. Specially in this environment it would be nice to give this place something positive. Besides the area is quite dark, so that the glowing type would be recognizable easily.

prototype at the Semesterend-exhibition at UdK

more on my weblog: emarao.com/blog