I worked on this project not long after starting at Random Studio, so I can't claim credit for the battery-powered IMU sensors in the shoes or the 4000+ LED light plinth, or the gorgeous "infinity room" interior designed by Fiction Factory.

I did however contribute some interactive sound design.

In response to sensor data (e.g. tilting the shoe) I applied subtle pitch shifts and filter effects to an ethereal drone sound in the room. I also engineered a dramatic high-pass echo/fade-out every time the shoe was replaced on the plinth. All of this was achieved using web audio, with data relayed via Websocket. The synchronised sound and light effects played together very effectively.

I also wrote a simple web application to communicate occupancy (inside) via a display (outside), and generally managed a lot of hardware and networking to get this installation set up in two locations in Shanghai.

See more detail at https://random.studio/projects/new-balance