Description
The desert, in cultures of many desert tribes and people, is the place where spirits reside. This is reflected in many myths and legends about figures in the desert. One of the most famous ones might be the tale of Aladdin from the One Thousand and One Nights. There are also many local myths and tales about desert spirits in the UAE, such as Umm Al Duwais. Drawing inspiration from these beliefs, this project will bring the “spiritual being” living in the desert to life, with a mission to tell desert travelers about the histories, stories, and cultures behind the desert. Specifically, the project and its interaction are motivated by the genie and the magic lamp from Aladdin. By crafting a lamp and three keys scattered around, the project serves an educational purpose to raise people’s awareness of and deepen their understanding about the desert, its environment, animals, vegetation, etc. Moreover, with the lamp, it also serves as a gathering place and a beacon at night for travelers in the desert.
Presentation Link: URL
Inspiration from Previous Work
The project is also influenced by the (Hekaya 2023) artwork published on desert.nyuadin.com under the Fall 2023 Projects. Hekaya presents the Emirati desert life and the rich history of the UAE through storytelling. This is done through an interactive book that plays pre-recorded Emirati stories. Additionally, Hekaya incorporates Arabic calligraphy as part of the design and therefore creates an additional connection to the Arabic language. Similarly, our installation connects the UAE’s heritage to the Desert by combining storytelling and the interaction with the environment. We also use the magical lamp influenced by Aladdin to make references to the Arabian desert which includes the UAE’s desert.
Drawn Sketch
AI Generated Illustration
Project interaction
The idea of the magic lamp is that some people roaming the desert suddenly found a magic lamp lying on the ground. They picked it up and rubbed it from the side, and a genie came out of it and asked them to make any three wishes, and he would make them happen.
Following the same notion, a mysterious and magical lamp will exist in the desert and will eventually be noticed by a user. To facilitate the interaction with the magical lamp, the user will be required to simply touch it. As a response, the lamp will tell the user (in a mysterious tone) about its purpose. Similar to the three wishes from Aladdin, the lamp will ask the user to find three keys scattered nearby in the desert. The user will be able to use the lamp to light his path as he searches for the three keys. For each of the three keys found and placed into the lamp, a story about UAE’s heritage will be narrated (one for each key), which is similar to the genie making the three wishes come true. Finally, once all three keys and their relative stories are told, the lamp will tell the user to scatter the keys around it along with the lamp and leave without mentioning the three stories nor the interaction to anyone.
In terms of the project’s relevance to deserts, the theme combines the magic lamp from Aladdin which is related to the Arabian desert with stories relevant to the UAE. It also requires the user to interact with the environment such as having to find the three keys and hearing the stories about the area, and finally it uses technology to implement the overall project.
The overall interaction is listed below with additional details about how the project is envisioned to properly showcase the idea. The six steps listed below represent the whole interaction:
- Finding the Mysterious Lamp
In the middle of the night, as the moon and stars light up the sky and the breeze of air hits the edges of dunes, a traveler passing the desert of Arabia notices an odd object, a mysterious lamp, and cautiously approaches it. As his fingers touch the side of the lamp while trying to pick it up, it lights up in a golden hue.
- Introducing the Purpose/Goal
A genie speaks from inside the lamp and asks the traveler to find three mysterious keys lighting up around the area. In return, the genie will reveal an engaging story about the heritage of the United Arab Emirates for each of the three keys.
- Interacting with the Arabian Desert
In shock and excitement, the traveler picks up the lamp and uses it to light his path as he searches nearby for the three keys.
- Narrating Stories from UAE’s Heritage
The traveler finds the first key and places it on its designated hole in the lamp. Suddenly, the lamp’s light increases in intensity and the genie starts narrating one of the stories. The traveler then continues to search and finds the other two keys and the lamp’s light intensity increases even more as the genie narrates a story for each key.
- Resetting the Scene
Once the genie finishes narrating the third and last story, he asks the traveler not to mention these stories to anyone, and to scatter the keys around the area along with the lamp, then leave before anyone sees him.
- Resetting the Interaction
After the keys are removed from the lamp and some time passes, the lamp’s light dims and it returns to its original state.
Technical Implementation
The project will be using a range of electronic components and fabrication techniques learnt in class to bring the desert lamp to life. Here is a list of key components and technologies: Touch Sensor, Light Sensor, NeoPixel LEDs, 3D Printing and Laser Cutting, and loudspeaker.
The touch sensor will be Installed around the magic lamp to detect when the user “rubs” or touches it, which will trigger the story-telling sequence. This interaction emulates the traditional act of rubbing the lamp to summon the genie. The light sensor will tell the lamp to light up when the environment is dark. By doing so, the lamp will not light up and will blend into the environment during the day, minimizing its impact on the environment. Neopixels will make the lamp light up to signal its presence in the desert at night. They will also be used to signal changes in stories and different states of the lamp.
We will be using 3D printing to make the lamp as well as the keys. To improve the aesthetics of the project, decorative holders or sturdy bases for the lamp and keys will be crafted using laser cutting. This method ensures high precision, creating pieces that are durable enough to withstand desert conditions. The loudspeaker will be used to play recorded stories that align with the lighting effects. It will allow each key’s story to come alive through synchronized voice overs or sound effects, enhancing the narrative.
