ROUTES

Overview

ROUTES is a large-scale interactive light installation created by Second Nature Studio. The artwork responds to pedestrian movement, creating light pulses that follow people as they walk through the space. NRB Tech developed the complete control system—from sensor integration to LED orchestration—transforming the concept from prototype to production-ready installation.

The Challenge

Public art installations must operate reliably without constant on-site maintenance, often in locations without fixed internet connectivity. The system needed to handle synchronised animations across a large physical space while responding in real-time to pedestrian movement.

Responsive to Movement

The installation detects not just presence but the speed and direction of pedestrian movement. Light patterns respond dynamically—animations move at speeds proportional to how fast people walk, following their direction through the space.

When no movement is detected, ambient attract patterns draw attention to the installation.

Scales to Any Size

The distributed architecture separates coordination from execution:

• A central controller coordinates the entire installation
• Individual panel controllers manage their own LED sections
• Real-time messaging keeps everything synchronised

Adding new panels requires minimal configuration—the system scales to match the physical installation size.

Operates Anywhere

Remote management capabilities enable deployment in locations without fixed internet:

• Cellular Connectivity — 4G uplink for remote locations
• Secure Remote Access — VPN tunnel for monitoring and updates
• Data-Conscious Updates — Large updates can switch to local Wi-Fi automatically
• On-Site Access — Physical button activates a maintenance hotspot

Visibility Without Site Visits

A real-time monitoring dashboard shows installation health:

• Live sensor data and panel connectivity
• Ambient light level tracking
• Performance metrics over time

Most issues can be identified and resolved remotely, reducing costly site visits.

Built for Long-Term Maintenance

The system is designed to operate for years with minimal intervention:

• Hardware Abstraction — LED hardware can be changed or upgraded without modifying animation code
• Coordinated Updates — Software releases deploy to all panels simultaneously, preventing configuration drift
• Efficient Updates — Panels pull system updates from a local cache, reducing cellular data costs
• Security Hardened — Key-only authentication, strict firewall rules, and automatic security updates