A new Instagram AR filter transforms data into a symphony of notes.
HUSH, a company designing innovative ways to connect digital technology with physical spaces, has created an AR filter for Instagram that leverages a collection of data composed of experiences and nostalgia from its own employees to deliver a really cool interactive experience that employs both sound and physical motion.
HUSH/LISTEN reimagines the idea of vinyl records, a classic form of analog sound storage in which a finely-tipped stylus moving through a set of physical grooves to emit audio. Instead of a physical stylus and record, however, HUSH/LISTEN has you dragging your finger across your smartphone screen to unlock a symphony of soothing chimes that can be played forward or backward.
Because this AR filter uses sound, I highly recommend using your headphones for the most immersive experience possible. You can use the speakers of your smartphone, though it will be a significantly less impactful experience.
To release the notes you will need to open the AR filter on Instagram Stories and line up your camera with this image of a digital data “record”. When the experience begins, move your finger in a circular motion over the record to unlock the concert along with AR animations that transform the filter into a visual experience as well.
As a data-driven experience, HUSH wanted its Instagram experience to have meaning. The company turned to its own employees and explored their geographical and musical history to compose a “record” that could be built using Spark AR.
In an interview with Trust Collective, HUSH Partner David Schwarz said, “The idea to connect the places we’ve called home with the music that defined those times was a simple methodology to bring back old feelings, and to piece together the places and sounds that formed who we are,” adding, “Since both of those things – places and sounds – are discrete and quantifiable information, we knew they would be a great input into the design process that would provide data points to into something special.”
The company wants to inspire humanity by building experiences that merge the physical world with cutting-edge technology. For example, HUSH previously worked with Instagram to create a “Light Forest”, a custom-built space designed to transport visitors into a three-dimensional audio-visual experience that also became a photogenic environment. According to HUSH, it was an “infinite loop.”
HUSH also worked on transforming environments for Google, Capital One, Chobani, and other companies. According to the HUSH website, the Instagram filter is inspired by actual vinyl records to provide a “unique audiovisual experience, one which HUSH intends to evolve and expand beyond the data of its internal team.”
To check out the HUSH/LISTEN experience, use this link to open the Instagram AR filter and then aim it towards the record graphic found here.
Image Credit: HUSH/LISTEN
