Hewlett-Packard / NYU
As a researcher at NYU Engineering and in collaboration with Hewlett-Packard, I designed a real-time, experiential portrait of Earth, using live satellite data to create a direct encounter with the planet. Working with open data feeds and simulated physics, my research focused on generating realistic visuals of terrestrial phenomena, including land color, cloud volumes, ice cover, lightning strikes, and aurorae. I presented the prototype work at several conferences, including NY Tech Meetup and NYC Media Lab. The research was developed in collaboration with co-researcher Dana Karwas.
The Satellite
The Satellite is a mirror, an attempt at self-portraiture through landscape, to look back at ourselves in the historical moment. It encourages us to question the idea of the “known” world, exposing Earth as terra incognita.
Each moment, hundreds of satellites are circling the globe, delivering rich, detailed information. They offer science, government, and industry a new look at our planet that goes far beyond common understanding. These datasets are cryptic, complex, and unwieldy—impenetrable to the general public. The Satellite is an intervention in public perception, an attempt to subvert these constraints by transfiguring the data streams into an instinctive encounter.
Working with open data feeds and simulated physics, the research is focused on creating realistic, realtime visuals of terrestrial phenomena: land color, cloud volumes, ice cover, lighting strikes, and aurorae. These techniques are being continuously refined through photographic research, consultations, and feedback from audiences.
Demo of the Realtime Engine