James Leng’s ‘Point Cloud‘ is a wire structure that attempts to reimagine our daily interaction with weather data, visualizing real-time information by moving and undulating. 300 feet of wire thread knit in 966 different connections create a web-like structure, driven by 8 servos controlled via Arduino. Each servo powers a cam mechanism that activates 3 to 4 pistons, which push and pull on various parts of the wire mesh.

The speed, smoothness, and direction of rotation are modulated to interpret a live feed of weather data. Instead of displaying static values of temperature, humidity, or precipitation, Point Cloud performs the data, dynamically shifting between stability and turbulence, expansion and contraction. It re-introduces weather conditions as a permanently variable state, and creates a visceral experience in our interactions with weather.

Check out a video of the project below:

Point Cloud