A multi-sensory installation where blindfolded players interact with an animatronic creature within its nest. Guided only by touch and sound, players navigate a tactile, responsive maze that shifts and reacts to their movements. As they reach the creature, its animatronic body breathes, pulses, and responds to touch, creating an intimate and immersive encounter that blurs the line between environment and living presence. Exhibited in USC Game Expo 2025.
Role: Designer & Engineer
Genre: Immersive Experience & Installation
Team: 10 students working over a year
Length: 10-15 mins
Challenge
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Enrich The Experience and Making a Creature Feel Alive Without Relying on Vision
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Guiding Guests Through an Emotional Arc
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Building an Unconventional Experience Without Precedent
Strategy
Our strategy was to design the experience as a five-stage emotional journey. Each stage had a clear emotional goal— from unfamiliarity and tension to trust and connection, and we supported that with touchable textures, distinct materials, soundscapes, and interaction behaviors. We prototyped custom trigger systems, tested interactions with players, and integrated custom hardware to refine what actually felt alive. Because there were no direct references, we relied heavily on material research, fabrication experiments, and iteration to align emotional intent with physical interaction.
Experience Layout
Animatronic Creature Head
We built Omu’s “neural network” through a central server and complex state machine, allowing it to recognize touch, tilt its head, nod, and lean into your hand.
Breathing Skin
Motors simulate the creature’s breathing and heartbeat, providing lifelike feedback that intensifies the sense of presence and tension.
Tail / Tentacle Interaction
3D-printed joints and bones give Omu the ability to flex and move its tendrils in playful interaction.
Our Animatronic Creature Omu
Testing
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Contribution
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Co-designed and implemented core systems, including a pressure-sensitive soft mat that captured touch input, responsive tentacle interactions, and a huggable wing system.
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Collaborated on building the tactile maze with wooden walls, prop placement, and themed entertainment set design to shape the overall player journey.
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Developed and integrated custom touch sensors on soft foam surfaces, including circuit soldering and hardware implementation.
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Took on the challenge of creating a wholesome, intimate hugging experience, building a 2-meter high wing system with a wooden frame, soft foam, and integrated water pipes to create light, foldable, huggable wings covered in fur and feathers.