Behind Your Touch - PHASE 2: Prototyping & Development

Fig.1: Spatial Layout of the Behind Your Touch installation

Project Overview

Behind Your Touch is an interactive installation that reveals the hidden consequences of touching sea turtles. By visualising invisible bacterial transfer caused by human touch, the installation reveals its long-term impact on sea turtle health and encourages responsible behaviour.

In this stage, the student will develop and prototype the design and the technical solutions for the execution of this project. It is expected to conduct appropriate development activities that pave solid fundamentals for Phase 3.

Concept Development

Version 01

After receiving feedback from the presentation, I revisited the project to strengthen the connection between the interaction and its intended message.

• Feedback:
  - Interaction and intended impact were not clearly connected.
• Analysis:
  - The installation had shifted away from its original objective of visualising bacterial transfer and the harm caused by human touch.
• Action Plan:
  - Refocus the interaction and narrative on the cause-and-effect relationship between human touch, invisible bacterial transfer, and its harmful consequences.

Revised User Journey

The experience begins with existing handprints on the turtle, representing the cumulative effects of previous human touch. As visitors touch the shell, bacteria are transferred from their hands to the turtle, making the invisible consequence of touch progressively visible. As the interaction continues and the touch threshold is reached, the turtle’s protective barrier deteriorates, eventually revealing its skeleton. The experience ends with the message: “Your touch is not harmless.”

Fig.2: User Journey

This storyline is still a work in progress (WIP), as I plan to develop and refine the narrative alongside the technical exploration to ensure that both elements work cohesively.

Visual Reference

Inspired by microscope lenses and Petri dishes, the projection uses circular visuals to reveal invisible bacteria and visualise their hidden impact on sea turtles.

Fig.3: Visual Reference

Spatial Design Planning

Spatial dimensions were based on a life-size sea turtle (1:1 scale), comparing the minimum and maximum sizes of adult sea turtles to ensure a realistic visitor experience.

Fig.4: Turtle Size Comparison

Fig.4.1: Spatial Layout Design

Prop Crafting Planning

The prop crafting process balanced budget, fabrication feasibility, and durability, progressing from rapid prototyping to a refined exhibition-ready outcome.

• Lo-fi Prototype (Cardboard): Chosen for its low cost, ease of fabrication, and availability of tutorials, allowing rapid iteration to validate the shell’s size, proportions, and interaction.
• Final Prototype (3D Printed): Selected for its precise detailing, clean surface finish, structural durability, and suitability for repeated public interaction during the exhibition.

Fig.5: Turtles Prop Reference

Technical Exploration

As hand tracking forms the core interaction of the installation, I evaluated multiple tracking methods to determine the most suitable solution for the project’s technical and interaction requirements. Based on the evaluation, Unity with OpenCV was selected as it best balanced technical feasibility and development efficiency.

Table.1: Technical comparison of hand-tracking approaches.

1. Unity Python + CV Exploration
   The project utilised Python with the cvzone and MediaPipe libraries to implement real-time hand tracking. By referring to this tutorial, the system successfully detected multiple hands and their joint positions. A User Datagram Protocol (UDP) connection was then established to enable low-latency communication between the computer vision system and Unity.

Fig.6: Hand Detection

Fig.6.1: Hand Tracking

Fig.6.2: Interaction Experiment

2. Decal Projection
To display dynamic visuals such as bacteria and handprints on the turtle shell, a Decal Projector was explored. By referring to this tutorial, I was able to project a texture directly onto the 3D model without modifying its original material, allowing the projected visuals to appear and update dynamically during interaction.

Fig.6.3: Initial decal projector setup

Fig.6.4: Handprint texture projected onto the turtle shell using decal projection

Feedbacks & Action Plan

Table.2: Feedbacks and Action Plan

Reflection

At this stage, I explored the technical development, props, and visuals while developing the narrative simultaneously. However, after discussing with my lecturer, I realised that the narrative should guide the technical development, as changes to the narrative can directly affect the interaction and implementation. As a result, some of my earlier technical explorations no longer aligned with the revised interaction and were not carried forward. Nevertheless, these explorations helped me strengthen my technical skills and make more informed design decisions. This experience taught me to establish the creative narrative first before moving into technical prototyping, reducing unnecessary rework and ensuring that the technology supports the intended user experience.

Version 02

Benchmark Analysis Across Different Design Dimensions

To refine my current project, I expanded my benchmark research into media innovation, visual storytelling, and installation art. The four main benchmark projects (Figure 7) each use different interaction methods to communicate their ideas through spatial experience, storytelling, and audience participation. Each reference contributed to a different aspect of my design process.

Table.3: Analysis of Different Benchmarks

Among these references, Blue Ocean Dome became my primary visual benchmark, showing how cinematic storytelling can create an emotional journey through atmosphere, pacing, and visual transitions.

• Visual storytelling: Used cinematic pacing and immersive underwater visuals instead of text-heavy explanations.
• Macro–micro perspective: Transitioned between large-scale earth and ocean scenes and microscopic plastic pollution to reveal invisible environmental issues.
• Design insight: Inspired an emotional journey that gradually reveals hidden consequences, allowing visitors to realise they are part of the problem rather than just observing it.

Spatial Design

The turtle shell serves as both the main visual canvas and the interaction trigger point, making it the central focus of the installation

Fig.7 Spatial Layout

User Journey

Before the storytelling begins, the user enters an interactive state where touch gradually reveals the hidden consequences of human contact.

Fig.8: User Journey

Visual Reference

A surrealist art direction was chosen to reveal the unseen consequences of human touch by bringing invisible elements into a realistic environment, making the hidden impact on sea turtles more visible and understandable.

Fig.9: Visual Reference

Reflection

I realised that although I had chosen a sea turtle sculpture as the installation medium, I had not fully utilised its physical form to strengthen the narrative. The shell functioned mainly as a projection surface, while the moodboard lacked the emotional urgency needed to support the conservation message. Reflecting on Marshall McLuhan’s concept that “the medium is the message,” I recognised that the turtle itself should become part of the storytelling rather than simply supporting the visuals.

Action Plan

Table.4: Table Analysis of Action Plan

Version 03

To ensure the installation responds meaningfully to its intended environment, I conducted a site visit to Aquaria KLCC, the proposed exhibition venue, to understand its spatial context, visitor behaviour, and exhibition atmosphere.

During the site recce at Aquaria KLCC, I analysed the exhibition environment and interviewed staff to validate the identified problems and assess the feasibility of the proposed installation.

Observation at Aquaria KLCC & Design Opportunities

The site recce findings were synthesised into key observations, insights, and design opportunities that guided the refinement of the installation.

Table.5: Site recce analysis at Aquaria KLCC

Plan A & B & C Comparitions

Plan B was selected because it provides a more cohesive and intuitive experience, reducing viewing angle limitations, avoiding misleading interaction cues, and maintaining the visual illusion throughout the installation.

Table.6: Comparison of three proposed spatial layouts

Visual Reference

The visual references explore metaphors, microscopic imagery, and underwater environments to shape the installation’s visual language, emotional storytelling, and immersive experience.

Fig.11: Visual Reference

User Journey

The user journey was developed based on the selected Plan B setup.

Fig.10: User Journey

Reflection

I realised that the use of tree rings and fingerprints was not suitable for the marine context, as these visual elements introduced associations that felt disconnected from the underwater environment. More importantly, the interaction only communicated that the turtle was suffering, without clearly showing the role of bacteria and pathogens in causing that harm. This made the cause-and-effect relationship unclear to the audience.

Other than that, my lecturer highlighted that one of my setup choice: the floor projection could create false interaction expectations and that the illusion between the physical shell and projected elements could break from certain viewing angles. I realised that I had been so focused on refining the narrative and interaction that I had not considered the visitor’s perspective as thoroughly as I should have.

Most notably, the site recce at Aquaria allowed me to evaluate how the installation would perform within the actual exhibition space, while Malaysian illustrator Woon Bing Chang’s sharing reinforced the importance of experiencing a place firsthand before developing a design. Together, these experiences reminded me that site recce is essential for validating immersion, spatial experience, and feasibility. Moving forward, I will conduct site recce earlier in the design process to ensure that my design decisions are grounded in the actual exhibition context.

Version 04

Revised Spatial Design

Problem: The previous setup lacked immersion and did not fully utilise the turtle shell as a visual medium. Also, making the turtles themselves the touch trigger could disrupt the viewing experience and distract from the projection.

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Solution: To create a more immersive experience, the projection will be enlarged. This adjustment also requires changes to the initial sea turtle shell interaction, with the trigger point repositioned to human height.

Fig.12: Updated Spatial Design

Inspiration

In Hot Water by WWF and the Blue Ocean Dome at Expo 2025 Osaka served as my main inspiration. The table below analyses the key references and how they were applied to the project.

Table.8: Table Analysis of Visual References

Revised Storyboard

The storyboard was revised based on key references from the two inspiration studies.

Fig.13: Revised Storyboard

Reflection

In this version, I used red and blue to create visual contrast between the sea turtle and the bacteria, but I realised that the colour combination resembled a thermal colour palette. While the contrast was visually effective, it did not communicate how harmful the bacteria are or how they affect the sea turtle’s health. This made me realise that I need to strengthen the storytelling aspect of the design to showcase how the bacteria negatively affect the sea turtle’s health and refine the color direction.

Version 05

Visual Reference

Red and green bacteria that give an uncomfortable feeling.

Fig.14: Visual Reference

Revised storyboard

The story was revised to strengthen how bacterial harm is communicated. Green was chosen to represent the bacteria based on microscopic references, where bacteria are commonly shown in green tones that create an unsettling feeling. Bycatch was also introduced to show the turtle’s declining health, which eventually leads to it being caught in fishing gear.

Fig.14.1: Revised Storyboard

Reflection

I realised that although using bycatch showcases the threats that sea turtles face when their health is affected, it does not directly represent how bacteria negatively affect their health. This storyline could therefore create confusion and potentially mislead the audience about the actual impact of bacteria.

Version 06

Revised storyboard

To showcase the gradual impact of bacterial exposure on the turtle’s health, the turtle is first shown struggling to keep up with the group as they move towards seagrass meadows and coral reefs, highlighting its role within the marine ecosystem. As bacteria spread, the turtle’s health gradually deteriorates through slower flipper movements, a weakening shell, and a fading heartbeat. It eventually stops moving and sinks into the ocean, with its closing eyes symbolising death. The scene concludes with seagrass overgrowth, representing the disruption to the marine ecosystem caused by the loss of sea turtles.

Fig.15 : Revised Storyboard

Visual & Animation Development

Audio Exploration

To establish the desired mood:

1. I watched the documentary to understand the feeling of sea turtles swimming underwater.
2. I then evaluated my main references: In Hot Water by WWF and Blue Ocean Dome at Japan Expo. From analysing both references, I identified the keywords melancholic, contemporary vocal, and ethereal, which best fit my storyline as it transitions from beauty to discomfort and, ultimately, devastation.

Table.9: Analysis of Audio Reference

Audio Choice

• Primary BGM: Melancholic song by Sonican in Pixebay
  It was chosen for its melancholic and emotional qualities, conveyed through its contemporary vocal elements, which create a reflective atmosphere and support the transition from beauty to discomfort in the storyline.
• Secondary BGM: alixe., antent — waiting for you
  It was chosen for its healing and calming qualities, gradually building through stronger and more prominent beats while still conveying a sense of sadness.

Animatics

Fig.16: Animatics

Animation Exploration #1

After establishing the desired mood, I realised that exploring the visual effects directly in After Effects would be the most efficient approach to achieving the desired visuals , particularly because many of the scenes rely on organic shapes and fluid movements. I created the necessary assets in Adobe Illustrator and then experimented with different effects and rough animations in After Effects.

Fig.16.1: Animation Exploration#1

Animation Exploration #2

The main changes in this exploration focused on:

1. Improving the bacteria scene: Initially, I used the turtle’s body parts separately to show how the bacteria affected it, with the movement gradually slowing before revealing its skeleton. However, the progression felt visually awkward and did not clearly communicate the message.
2. Refining the death scene: On top of the eye-blinking death animation, I added the turtle shell gradually sinking into the ocean to create a stronger sense of death and consequence.
3. Enhancing the bacteria effect: After watching documentaries on how mould grows, I experimented further to create a more convincing bacteria-spreading effect.

Fig.16.2: Animation Exploration#2

Reflection

The initial scene was set at sunset. However, I realised that sea turtles return to the sea in darkness to reduce the risk of predators such as birds (The State of the World’s Sea Turtles | SWOT, 2026). Therefore, the first scene will be changed to nighttime to better reflect their natural behaviour.

Animation Exploration #3 with Mock Up

As this project is intended to be displayed in an aquarium, I placed the Work In Progress (WIP) animation within a mock-up to help the audience better visualise the final experience for the presentation.

Fig.16.3: Animation Exploration#3 with Mock Up

Art Direction & Key Visuals

For the art direction, I used surrealism to blend realism with the unseen consequences, while colour distinguishes the three stages:

• Blue represents the peacefulness of sea turtles in their natural marine environment.
• Green represents the suffering of sea turtles and the spread of bacteria.
• Black and white represent the consequences and seriousness of human impact.

Fig.17: Art Direction & Key Visuals Explaination

Interaction Methods Exploration

For the trigger point, I explored different approaches including a tablet, a physical turtle, and a tablet embedded into a turtle. The table (Fig. 22) below evaluates these approaches based on visual connection, interaction clarity, technical feasibility, and durability. As none of the options fully met the intended outcome, I continued exploring alternative methods to find the most suitable solution.

Table.10 : Analysis of Interaction Methods

Design & Technical Plan

Design & Technical Plan Presentation Slides

Feedbacks & Action Plan

The Prototyping and Technical Development presentation gave me an opportunity to rethink my project, as the feedback from industry guest gave me new ideas for interaction methods while also highlighting the gaps in my current concept and storytelling. This helped me further refine the key story and concept points of the project.

Table.11 : Analysis of Feedbacks with Action Plan

Risk Management & Analysis

Remaining tasks were broken down into a few categories.

Fig18. Work Breakdown Structure

Risk assessment forms were also developed to help prioritise tasks, manage expectations, and prepare an action plan for potential failures, while ensuring the safety and well-being of users throughout the project.

Table.12 : Project Risk Assessment

Table.12.1: Safety Risk Assessment

View the project risk assessment here & the safety risk assessment here.

Moving Forward

A Gantt chart is used to plan, track, and monitor the overall project timeline and progress.

Fig 19: Project Gantt Chart

Final Reflection

In the initial stage of this project, I struggled to find the right direction because I approached the problem mainly from a functional and technical perspective, focusing on how the solution could work. Through the site recce and further development, I realised that I was thinking too narrowly about the solution instead of considering the bigger vision and overall experience I wanted to create. I also recognised a gap in my approach to installation design, as I was not giving enough attention to emotion, storytelling, and spatial experience. Once I became aware of this, I had a clearer direction and was able to develop the project around the intended audience experience. However, this realisation came after I had already developed my initial approach, which meant changing the solution halfway through and affecting my original timeline.

I felt worried about falling behind schedule while still having many tasks and other responsibilities to manage. However, I knew the change was necessary to strengthen the project, so I pushed myself to catch up. Although the process involved several revisions and back-and-forth iterations, they helped me explore the project further and refine the direction.

Through this experience, I realised that I was too focused on how to build the solution before establishing what I wanted to communicate and how I wanted the audience to feel. I learned that installation design requires a stronger focus on the overall experience, with the narrative and emotion guiding the technical development. Looking back, considering these aspects earlier would have helped me reach the direction more efficiently and manage my time better.

Moving forward, I will carry this lesson into my future projects by spending more time establishing the purpose, narrative, and overall experience before moving into technical prototyping. I will also use site research more effectively to develop a broader vision for the installation and consider how the space, interaction, and storytelling work together. For my remaining work, I will set realistic milestones and stick to them, while allowing enough time for refinement and unexpected changes.

Last But Not Least

Here’s the end of Blog 02. Thanks for reading!

Annotated Bibliography

Ling, P. (n.d.) Behind Your Touch — Pinterest Mood Board. [Online] Available at: link (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

This mood board curated visual references on underwater environments, microscopic imagery, installation art, and natural metaphors. These references informed the project’s visual language, emotional atmosphere, and narrative development.

Sonican (2026) Melancholic — Melancholic Music by Sonican. Pixabay. Available at: link. (Accessed: 15 September 2026).

The audio was used as the main background music throughout the project.

teamLab (n.d.) Interconnected Reality. [Online] Available at: link. (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

This project demonstrated the integration of physical and digital environments through interactive technology. It inspired opportunities to extend the installation beyond projection-based interaction in future developments.

The State of the World’s Sea Turtles (SWOT) (2026). [Online] The Sea Turtle Life Cycle. Available at: link. (Accessed: 12 September 2026).

This article was used to understand the sea turtle life cycle and their behaviour during different stages. It highlighted that sea turtle hatchlings generally emerge at night and head towards the ocean under the cover of darkness.

YouTube (2023) Blue Ocean Dome. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1a7YkORHEA (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

This installation demonstrated how cinematic pacing, lighting, and visual transitions can communicate environmental issues through immersive storytelling. It inspired the emotional progression and visual direction of Behind Your Touch.

YouTube (2026) alixe., antent — waiting for you [online]. Available at: link.(Accessed: 15 September 2026).

The audio was used as the secondary background music throughout the project.

YouTube (2023) Learn About URP Decals. [Online] Available at: link. (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

The student used this tutorial to learn Unity’s URP Decal system and explore displaying bacteria and handprint textures on the turtle shell.

YouTube (2023) Unity + OpenCV Interactive Webcam Tutorial. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV5eejYG6NI (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

The student used this tutorial to learn how to integrate OpenCV with Unity for real-time hand tracking, which informed the development of the installation’s interactive system.

YouTube (2024) ‘Social Cues’: Original Short Film. [Online] Available at: link. (Accessed: 5 August 2026).

This short film demonstrated how a simple human action can become the central narrative of an experience. It influenced the project’s use of human touch as the primary interaction and storytelling device.

Youtube.com. (2026) 8 Hours — Relaxing Music with Sea Turtles in Hawaii | Great Escapes [Online] Available at: link. [Accessed 12 Sept. 2026].

The student watched this video to understand the peaceful feeling of the marine environment and observe the natural movements and behaviour of sea turtles.

YouTube (2023) Bacteria Spreading Effects Tutorial. [Online] Available at: link. (Accessed: 14 September 2026).

The student referenced this tutorial to learn how to create bacteria-spreading effects in After Effects.

YouTube (2023) 5-Day Time-Lapse of Bacillus Subtilis Biofilm Growth and Development | 2021 Nikon Small World. [Online] Available at: link. (Accessed: 14 September 2026).

The student watched this video to understand how mould spreads, which informed the animation of bacteria spreading.

YouTube (2025) In Hot Water by WWF. [Online] Available at: link. (Accessed: 14 September 2026).

The student used this video to study colour progression and pacing for the installation’s visual narrative.