a slice of flow
Shuxuan Wang
Advisor: Theo Ellin Ballew
A slice of flow is a project about the relationship between humans and nature, told through an interactive object made of light.
Project Description
"A moment of presence, illuminated by light that flows like an anchor point to trigger memory."
Exploring how ephemeral human emotions and actions can interact with eternal natural rhythms. Using the fluidity of light as a responsive medium, the project invites quiet encounters where presence is gently illuminated—rather than represented—allowing fleeting human feelings to find resonance in timeless natural phenomena.
Technical Details
Microcontroller: Arduino Nano 33 IoT (with onboard IMU: LSM6DS3)
Sensors: 6-axis IMU (accelerometer + gyroscope)
Output: WS2812B addressable LED strips
Material: stone & MJF 3D prints
Research/Context
This project is influenced by both philosophical inquiry and design practices. Heidegger’s concept of Dasein was a major anchor: the idea that being isn’t just about objects, but about how we experience our presence in the world through subtle, often unspoken moments.
I want to find something that can illustrate a slice of nature
- that is always there but ever-changing
- It carry its own internal rhythm of change—quiet, subtle, yet beautiful
- Even without intentional interaction
Even just by noticing its movement, you feel something stir in return.
It leaves a mark on you—a soft echo.
That’s what I want this object to become — an anchor point that invites you to feel, in that brief exchange, how a fleeting human emotion can resonate with the timeless rhythm of the natural world.
