Future 100 - Reality Hopper Installation
AI + Creative Tech
I created Reality Hopper, an interactive installation that let people embody future trends from VML’s annual Future 100 report. Using real-time body tracking and generative AI, the experience transformed users into shifting characters inspired by themes like anime, ancient gods, 70s horror, and synthetic robotics. Every ten seconds, the world around them evolved — reacting to their movement and immersing them in a new possible future.
Client
VML
Responsibility
Installation + Stream Diffusion + AI
Project Category
Creative Technology
Year
Feb 11, 2025
VML’s annual Future 100 report highlights emerging trends across culture, tech, and ideology, but reading about the future isn’t the same as feeling it. The challenge was to turn these abstract insights into something visceral. We needed to transform trend forecasting into an experience that people could step into, move through, and remember.
I built the system using TouchDesigner integrated with Stream Diffusion to generate real-time character overlays. Kinetic sensors tracked body position, allowing the visuals to adapt fluidly to each person’s movement. I mapped every theme to a custom generative loop that triggered new visuals on a timed cycle, maintaining a seamless transition between characters. The installation ran on a large-format TV screen and required no interface, users simply stepped into the space and became the experience. Everything was optimised for responsiveness, performance, and modular reuse across international setups.
I created an interactive installation that brought the Future 100 report to life using body movement, AI, and real-time character embodiment. Visitors walked into the space and were instantly overlaid with a rotating stream of characters, each visualising a future trend, from ancient deities to anime to cosmic horror. The system updated every ten seconds, making each moment unpredictable and immersive. What began as an internal project quickly expanded, with the piece showcased in Greece, Belgium, and Amsterdam.
