Impact Case Studies

guitar takes you to different information such as the history of how it

was made, details of who has played it, videos of their performances

and also the instrument’s user guide and full technical specification.

As a result, this unusual and new technology enables the guitar to

share a growing ‘digital footprint’ throughout its lifetime, but in a way

that resonates with both the aesthetic of an acoustic guitar and the

craft of traditional luthiery.

Professor Steve Benford is leading the project: “This is just the

beginning of the journey. We’re going to learn so much when our

guitar finds its way into the world to gather stories and songs from

players and audiences.”

The research that has resulted in the Artcodes technology has

great potential for providing businesses on-brand visual interaction

for products, packaging and services. It also offers unique user

interaction for museums, galleries and a range of other public

spaces. Visitors to Tent London, part of the 2014 London Design

Festival, utilised the Artcodes app to allow them to navigate the

trade show. Artcodes were also embedded in a deployment of a

number of ceramic clocks as part of a “Hidden Language, Hidden

Trails” art installation in the town of Dorchester, using the concept of

time to tell the story of the town’s rich history.

Artcodes has been so well received that a design technology

consultancy has now evolved out of the original research in Horizon

in collaboration with academic partners Central St Martins and

Brunel University. The Artcodes app is freely available through

iTunes and Google Play, and there is a Wordpress plugin that allows

people to associate Artcodes with blogposts, opening up this novel

technology to a wide community of creative writers and designers.

For further information, please contact:

Emily-Clare Thorn

Email:

Web:

Twitter:

“This is just the beginning

of the journey. We’re going

to learn so much when our

guitar finds its way into the

world to gather stories and

songs from players and

audiences.”