InSync
USC IMGD MFA Thesis
Duration: 16 month
Genre: XR Interactive Installation, (15* 15 ft²) featuring an animatronic creature
Playtime：10 - 15 min
Team Size: 22
Overview
InSync is an interactive installation where blindfolded guests navigate a dark maze, and build bonds with a fantastical creature and with each other.
The Story
You are the last survivors of a collapsing earth. Drawn by a faint pulse deep underground, you enter a forgotten cave to revive the ancient spirit whose weakening presence once kept the earth alive. This journey is your final hope.
What did I do
As the creative director, I managed the concept-to-installation pipeline and coordinated a cross-disciplinary team of 20+ engineers, fabricators, artists, sound designers to bring my vision to life.
InSync is a physical, hands-on project, 1/2 of my time went into prototyping interactive trigger systems, testing gameplay, integrating custom hardware, and researching every possible material and fabrication method that could deliver the experience I wanted.
My design goal was to make this creature feel alive without relying on vision.
I spent a significant amount of time researching soft-robotic principles and studying what off-the-shelf modules we could adapt or repurpose to achieve lifelike movement without breaking the bank.
Input System
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custom made soft pressure-sensor skin array for tactile sensing
We built synchronized real-time feedback across the animatronic and all the interactive triggers in the maze, making sure the creature responded reliably and consistently to touch.
Output Systems Head
We used dual-core ESP-32 architecture to drive the motors. Fed motion capture data to design head movements.
Lung - Breathing Simulation
Heart - Heartbeat Simulation
We used linear actuator (special designed motor-driven crank linkage) for breathing lungs, H-bridge + eccentric motor for heartbeat simulation.
3D Printed Soft Robotics Tail
For me, these technologies are the tools I use to convey a story and build an experience. I learned to prototype on embedded systems, custom sensor design, woodworking, mechanical design, audio interaction, and 3D printing. I’m not afraid to pick up new skills when the work demands it, and I rely on the technology that best serves the piece.
Level Design
