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4 strange, fun tech exhibits that blew us away at ComplexCon

TVs you can control with your voice, refrigerators that connect to the internet and litany of other emerging technology is slowly turning your home into the Jetson’s. Complex Media’s two-day festival last weekend, ComplexConfeatured various tech installations too big and powerful for the average home.

Fast food restaurant chain Jack in the Box invited people to walk around a gigantic box which projected images of brunch foods surrounding, attendees were able to stand in front of a green screen and have their image digitally imposed on the same little boat from the cover rapper Lil Yachty’s debut mixtape Lil Boat, and much more.

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Digital Trends went through all the eye-tracking, sound altering, and reality shifting tech exhibits at ComplexCon and picked the four best ones you probably will not be able to experience in your home.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare VR

The game is free for anyone at home with a PlayStation VR, but the installation at ComplexCon strapped people into a replica spaceship console that vibrated during when you are thrusting through space or being pelleted with missiles. The headset’s eye tracking technology made your eyes and head the main way to control your view, making it easier to use the PS4 controller to lock in and fire at incoming baddies.

Cartoon Skrillex ball

The Babaru exhibit Centered in a large tent, a massive grey ball would burst with colorful animations from lauded Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami whenever attendees would press their body against it. Pressing on different sections of the ball produced different animations. Visual art studio Future Wife teamed up with Murakami for the animations and with Skrillex for the EDM soundtrack that had attendees grooving their bodies against the ball.

Full body music making

The Maud is a room size version of the classic Moog synthesizer allowed attendees to unlock their inner music producer by twisting and adjusting large keyboard keys and nobs to produce ambient sounds.  A cycle of pre-recorded music would play and attendees could wave their hand to control the rhythmic pulse or simply tap a glowing carving in the Maud to supplement the music playing. Before you realize it, you’ll be stretching out every limb to make your own personal symphony.

The music video dressing room

Mountain Dew
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Mountain Dew and VFiles The Camo Collective exhibit used a Microsoft Kinect to digitally impose the camo designs from the pair’s recent clothing line on attendees. Those same people were instructed to move their arms to tap floating bubbles. Their hand motions were then turned into a stop-motion animated music video with them floating through abstract visuals.

Keith Nelson Jr.
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…
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