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Responsive Installations: Using Sensors to Control the Visuals

Wed Nov 18, 2026 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM InterAccess, 32 Lisgar Street, Toronto, ON, M6J 0C7

Responsive Installations: Using Sensors to Control the Visuals

Wed Nov 18, 2026 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM InterAccess, 32 Lisgar Street, Toronto, ON, M6J 0C7

Free as part of Open Studio programming. Limited workstations available, please register. 

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 Trainer

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.


Additional Information

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.


Location

InterAccess, 32 Lisgar Street, Toronto, ON, M6J 0C7