LookUp demonstrates the use of a FLIR Lepton camera connected to a RPi to live stream images of visitors to the Testing Ground exhibition in the UCL Urban Room at UCL East. It was used to create an exhibition interactive called Heat Trace:

“Thermal imaging is a way of seeing that is beyond optics, meaning that no visible light is needed to illuminate a scene and create an image. Thermographic cameras rely on detecting the radiation that an object emits. The tool is particularly used to track and target people as they move in conflict areas or by police. These are also used by conservationists to observe wildlife. While this technology can be used to ensure safety, it is also used as a weapon of war and for inequitable surveillance.”

This installation is informed by a collaborative workshop between the students in the MSc Connected Environments and UCL Urban Room curator Dr Kara Blackmore. As a preparation for their upcoming exhibition, the students and curator discussed how to design and interpret interactive sensor displays and what the ethical implications are for image capture in Heat Trace.

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More information on the project build is over on GitHub.