Responsive Installations: Using Sensors to Control the Visuals
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 | 6–9PM
FREE as part of Open Studio Programming, register here.
Public installations come alive when they react to the people around them. In this three-hour workshop, you'll learn how to use sensors that detect motion, distance, touch and more to drive real-time animations.
This session bridges code and the physical world. Using a Raspberry Pi and p5.js, we'll wire up sensors, read their signals, and map them to visual parameters such as colour, motion and scale. By the end, you'll have a working responsive prototype, the practical skills to build work that responds to its audience, and a clear path to scaling it into a full installation.
What you'll learn
- Wiring sensors to a Raspberry Pi's GPIO pins
- Sending sensor readings from the Pi into a p5.js sketch
- Mapping user interactions to animation and visuals
- Tips for making installations reliable in public spaces
Who is this workshop for?
Artists and creative technologists who want to create interactive installations for public spaces, such as art festivals, or experience-based activations for brands. This workshop is designed for beginners with some coding experience. No electronics experience is needed.
Capacity
Space is limited, participants will be working in pairs.
About the Facillitator
This training will be led by InterAccess member, James Eberhardt.
James is a tech-focused developer working at the intersection of web, mobile, and IoT, who has led many workshops. James has previously provided technical development work for artists' projects and is eager to collaborate with artists on their work here at Interaccess.
Accessibility Information: We are located on the second floor of the building, which is accessible by two flights of stairs or an elevator. The front entrance has an automatic push door and is accessible by ramp or a short flight of stairs. Inside, all InterAccess facilities are on the same level, including a single-user accessible washroom.
Questions? If you have any questions about the event or require additional support, please contact us at education@interaccess.org.