AI Window View
To complement our installation design, we are also planning on creating a simple animated AI window scene. The aim is to generate the initial view using a text-to-image generator and then animate some of the elements (e.g. weather) to create an artificial window.
The idea draws on sci-fi tropes of customisable video windows seen in movies such as the original Total Recall (1990) directed by Paul Verhoeven.
Film still from Total Recall with main protagonist Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) changing the virtual window view in his home.
However, it also speaks to our increased viewing of the world through screen-based applications and the likelihood that people, especially in high density city housing, will have to resort to simulations to enjoy soft illumination and picturesque landscapes. Indeed, there are already commercial companies such as Linear Matrix that sell virtual windows. Here is an excerpt from their site:
Overcome space restrictions and enjoy a soft, natural light all year long at any time of day. Illuminated Virtual Windows can be installed in recesses of as little as 60mm, or anywhere that you can’t fit a window or skylight.
While there are commercial options, there are also decade old alternatives such as the Winscape software that creates virtual windows that use a kinect to track viewer movements and adjust the scene.
For our project, we have decided to keep the windows relatively simple and avoid viewer tracking. As a public art project, it is too difficult to accommodate a large audience volume and ensure a seamless experience. We also don’t want to detract from the main focus of the work - the Simulated Selves.
At this stage we will likely go with a design similar to The Virtual Window Project - although we will use one or two large 40” + OLED screens instead of multiple monitors. I also quite like the open window design by Sky Factory. Their library of different scenes are also more in line with what we want to achieve via generative AI - some water motion, plants gently swaying in the breeze etc. Their samples also reminded me that we may want to add some accompanying sound (wind, birds) - all AI generated, of course!
The next step is getting started with the scenes and then testing AI animation and sound software to complete the ‘feel’. I don’t think we will go with something quite this artificial, but you never know…