Smile Bot

 

A Living Dreamscape Powered by Real-time Tweets

Much like how the Monolith in Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" affected an entire species by introducing a new level of consciousness, We Are Matik's "Smile-Bot" was created with a similar objective in mind: to instill a sense of happiness in those around it.

 
 

A smile-powered portal that unlocks color, sound, and rainbow joy

Curious yet approachable by design, a willing participant inserts his or her face into one of four belly-portals where they encounter a glimpse into the home planet of the Smile-Bot. The Smile-People live in a very rigid, geometric world so the contours of a smile are very unique and cherished and are therefore collected through images and a Smile-Counter. As each participant inserts their face and smiles, one by one the each Smile-Bot face changes colors from their default sad blue to another “happier” color as well as triggering a sonic “singing-like” harmonization. If four participants smile at the same time, the Ultra-Smile Mode is achieved and triggers lights, sound effects and the appearance of a rainbow within the home planet inside the bot.

 

Collects Smiles

Smile-Bot was created with the intention of its objective (collecting smiles) to be achieved with little explanation which led to the design choices being made. For instance, opting for a naked-wood shell as opposed to metal was a conscious effort to make the installation more approachable. Quirky sound-effects and interactive features (a mini-smile screen), as well as the natural occurrence of looking at other people's faces from within the bot add a quirky, awkwardness that create an environment where participants can't help but smile.

Technical Features

A custom application developed in Processing to control the interactive experience.

  • Equipped with four internal cameras, each using Facial Recognition and a custom Smile Detecting algorithm.

  • RGB LEDs change color in response to individual smiles.

  • Four 7-segment LED counters track and display the number of smiles collected.

  • When all four participants smile simultaneously, Ultra-Smile Mode is triggered—activating synchronized lights, sound effects, and a rainbow inside the bot.

Physical Specifications

  • Height: 7 feet

  • Width: 4 feet

Technical Requirements

  • Power Supply: 110v, 20 amps