As cool as a Toyota Prius Hybrid is, it's even cooler with slick 3D animation, as the multidisciplinary production company HUSH proved in an interactive installation at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. Joining with JUXT Interactive, HUSH contributed paired their design and animation skills with their expertise in interactive experiences for the project.
The three-screen multi-touch display is human scale and presents a trio of hyper-real animated environments, smaller pop-up windows that tout various Prius features, custom QR codes that visitors can photograph and use elsewhere, windows to contact local Toyota dealers, and activities for children. The trio of panels works in tandem or distinctly, rotating in slot machine style so that the front, middle, and rear sections of the car appear to be simultaneously positioned in alternate environments.
"This is a one-of-a-kind brand experience," noted HUSH Partner David Schwarz. "It was one of the most compelling - and just plain fun - installations of the entire show; a playful, informative, life-size triptych experience with a mix of Price Is Right-style physical interaction and good old-fashioned slot-machine gambling."
JUXT approached HUSH with an overall vision and asked them to apply their design sensibilities and installation knowledge to fine-tune the project. "We spoke their language, helping to generate video and sound material in a manner that assisted the interactive development process, and provided a good gauge for an ideal user experience in terms of visual flow, duration and movement," stated HUSH Partner Erik Karasyk. "It's rare that installations combine great interaction with great content. With JUXT, though, we had perfect synergy: they did a great job catering to all levels of interaction and our design and animation provided a great payoff for interaction and game play. This project definitely stood out among the rest."
Working on a very tight timeline, HUSH defined the project's technical needs while beginning the design phase. With consultation from their architectural partners MARCH to help conceive of one of the architecturally focused CG environments, HUSH handled all the design in house. They then developed prototype pieces so screen technology experts at Push Offices could begin to work with real movie files for tech and user-experience testing. HUSH's frequent sound partner Antfood also contributed.
HUSH is building a reputation for interactive installations of this sort. The Toyota project follows HUSH's completion of a cutting-edge interactive showpiece for automaker Infiniti at the Classic Car Show in Pebble Beach, Calif. With infrared cameras, motion-tracking software, and a mix of existing and bespoke applications, the team directed a three-part installation: a custom-designed paintbrush feature, layered footage that revealed itself in narrow windows as users walked closer to the screen, and a geometric collage of product-design details.
The studio's efforts in this arena are continuing with an interactive wall project for one of Philadelphia agency 160 Over 90's university clients. HUSH will handle all the design, animation and interactive development for the projection-based interactive experience focused on design and storytelling.
"We will continue to push great installation experiences as part of our service offering," continued Karasyk. "HUSH has an awesome opportunity to be the early leader in this sort of interactive experience because we can combine the design of rich visual content with sophisticated interactive technologies; projects will get bigger, more exciting, and more complex."