Digital Grass

The BBC Big Screen network has been growing digital grass for Architecture Week 2007. Move your feet to make the grass grow!

HMC Interactive was asked by The BBC to create something amazing based on the Architecture Week theme: How Green Is Your Space? The interactive installation was custom built to run on the permanent network of giant video screens situated in major cities across the UK.

The finished Digital Grass installation grows a lush meadow of virtual grass over a live cityscape. As people pass the screen, fresh green grass sprouts at their feet. The more movement captured by the screen, the more the grass grows and sways, covering the city in greenery. If no movement is detected, the grass begins to shrivel and turn to brown until only concrete remains.

The screen works by using a camera aimed at the street below to pick up movement and translate it into activity in the software. HMC Interactive created custom motion tracking software using Adobe Flash, which can be employed on any large video screen or billboard.

Motion tracking is becoming more and more popular for outdoor advertising because it lets large groups of people freely engage with your brand.Mike Cobb — Creative Director, HMC Interactive

Digital Grass was shown on big screens across the UK from the 15th—24th of June. The interactive spectacle was a big success and HMC Interactive hope to continue using motion tracking to create engaging interactive multimedia.