Incorporating state of the art interactive components and lighting hardware as well as custom designed electronics, Ample Projects’ Jellyfish Bloom is an immersive art installation presenting 6 giant jellyfish light sculptures with motion sensor responsive lighting systems. The spectacular beauty of these mysterious and ancient sea creatures becomes evident as the viewer walks beneath the light sculptures, triggering animated LED lighting displays inspired by the bio luminous lighting responses of real world jellyfish.

JELLYFISH BLOOM

Jellyfish have existed on our planet for at least 500 million years, making them much older than the dinosaurs. Today there are approximately 4000 known species of Jellyfish drifting along ocean currents around the globe. Ample Projects’ Jellyfish Bloom installation is an exploration of these surprisingly complex and beautiful sea creatures, and the important role they play within the ecosystems of our planet’s oceans.

In recent times Scientist have observed huge increases in jellyfish populations, which is believed by many marine ecologists to be the result of humanity’s impact on the marine environment. Jellyfish Bloom places the viewer within a forest of tentacles. As the Jellyfish respond to our presence, we are reminded of how we affect the world’s ecosystems, and that Jellyfish Blooms are a result of these changes to the oceans of our planet.

BIOLUMINOUS JELLYFISH DESIGN

Ample’s Jellyfish Bloom installation is inspired by the spectacular bioluminous lighting displays that many species of jellyfish have. Many jellyfish (also known as medusas) have bioluminescent organs, which emit light. This light may help them in a number of different ways, like attracting prey, or distracting predators. In the case of Ample’s Jellyfish Bloom installation, just like real jellyfish in the wild, Ample’s jellyfish respond to the presence of humans, reminding us of how we effect the world’s ecosystems, and that Jellyfish Blooms are a result of these changes.

LED DESIGN

Supported by a system of four inter-connected control systems, Jellyfish Bloom utilizes a number of different LED products – each with their own unique look and style. Each type has been carefully selected to better accentuate the shape and movement of the jellyfish. Each medusa’s bell is accentuated by an outer layer of pixel-mapped LED lines, supported by a mesh of single pixels animating on a dome within its interior. Long lines of LEDs flow on down to the ground from the insides and outsides of its tentacles, while rectangular-shaped LED pixels suggest a textured detail on the tentacle edges.

RESPONDING TO MOVEMENT

The network of control modules communicate with two motion and two proximity sensors located in the bell of the jellyfish to send the normally serene patterns into a flurry of colour and movement. The colours of the jelly’s reactions have been selected to be unique between jellyfish, but all are reminiscent of the bio-luminous colours seen in many creatures under the sea. The medusa’s sudden change of mood over the normal subtle animations suggest a creature startled by the visitor or one putting on a distracting display as it makes its quick escape.

TENTACLE FOREST FIGURES:
3,600 colour-changing LEDs or 1,370 pixels

THE TWO JELLYFISH BODY DESIGNS

Ample’s Jellyfish Bloom installation presents two designs based on the two stages of a medusa’s swim cycle. Jellyfish use a form of jet propulsion to move their bodies through the water, contracting the muscles in their dome-shaped body (called the ‘Bell’) to draw in water, then they push it out again to move themselves forward. The first of the two designs of Ample’s Jellyfish Bloom installation is the stage when a Jellyfish has pushed the water out to move its body forward, the second design is the moment where the medusa contracts it’s body to draw the water in.