Interaction design begins with being able to quantify what people are doing, so we are obsessed with wearable & embedded electronics. Of course some information can be gathered remotely without any embedded electronics (and we've used plenty of those systems in our work), but the most meaningful connections you can make with guests and performers come from embedded electronics in costumes, props, and set pieces. This type of connection is key to empowering guests and performers alike.
Over the years we've made wirelessly triggered LED bracelets for reality TV, performer controlled glowing hair for themed entertainment, trackable wands for TV game shows, heavily sensored / LED ladened props for live shows, a gesture-control system with sensors, microcontrollers, and LEDs for costumed characters, and designed and manufactured custom-designed waterproof fabric bend & pressure sensors for physically demanding dance productions. Often wirelessly controlled & connected. Many integrated into a larger environmental show control system. Although the above reflect many different sensing technologies, the results are the same: creating unique, one-of-a-kind experiences.
