A Sanctuary for the Mind, Crafted Through Light and Sound.
Digital Ambiance partnered with Promega Biotech to craft an immersive therapeutic space for the Usona Institute, where technology and design work in harmony to enhance healing. This installation transforms traditional therapy by integrating holographic visuals, ambisonic soundscapes, and generative design, creating an environment that adapts to the emotional and psychological state of the patients in realtime.
Bringing together visual artists, sound designers, neuroscientists, and therapists, the installation was shaped through a collaborative process to create truly responsive experiences. Artists crafted holographic visuals ranging from fluid, organic animations to more abstract compositions, while sound designers developed ambisonic soundscapes that shift dynamically with the session’s energy. Neuroscientists and therapists guided the interplay of light, movement, and audio, ensuring that every element enhances therapeutic impact.
DESIGNING PERCEPTION
The Ideation Process: Envisioning a New Kind of Therapy.
Working alongside neuroscientists and therapists, we delved into research on sensory immersion, emotional triggers, and the role of set & setting in advanced forms of therapy. Our goal was to craft a space that is both scientifically grounded and emotionally evocative—a setting that shifts with the needs of each session, offering a seamless blend of structure and organic form.
The result was a concept that integrates atmospheric lighting, soundscapes, and 3-dimensional visual effects into a single therapeutic tool. Every element was designed to serve a purpose—guiding patients through moments of introspection, providing grounding sensations, or expanding their perception in alignment with therapeutic objectives.
ENGINEERING EMOTION
We worked hand-in-hand with the therapists who would be working with patients in the environment we were creating. Understanding how they needed the tools we made to work in order to facilitate their process led us to create a control system based around an emotional valence graph. This allows the therapists to “tune” the experience to match the emotional state of the patients. The generative visuals and the audio tracks shift to reflect that emotion.
THE MECHANICS
From the ground up, the Usona Installation was engineered to be a learning tool for the Institute. The chandelier’s rigging system allows fluid transformations, allowing therapists to gauge how its position affects the impact on the patients. The generative visuals and the ambisonic soundscapes, driven by algorithmic inputs and the emotional valence UI, respond dynamically to the needs of each session—whether guiding patients toward a moment of deep introspection or anchoring them in a sense of stability.
Behind the scenes
Client: Promega Biotech
Artistic Direction: David Rousseau, Robb Pope
Project Management: Nicholas Perillo
Programming: Tommy Etkin, Kendrick Feller, Dirk Roosen
Installation: Nicholas Perillo
Visual Artists: Tommy Etkin, Kendrick Feller, Jason Ting
Audio Artists: Dirk Roosen, John Strong, Manne Skafvenstedt, Lisa O’Connor