STONEs

STONEs is an interactive installation that invites participants to explore vitality in non-living forms through engagement with self-actuated artificial stones. Subject to human-applied force, these “STONEs” dynamically respond by self-flipping, spinning, and rolling, generating strong, jerky haptic feedback and subtle gyroscopic resistance. Each STONE, a styrofoam shell powered by embedded flywheel actuation units, embodies a distinct form and behavior, offering participants a sense of mystery and discovery throughout their interaction. By transforming stones from inert objects into active agents, STONEs encourages speculation on non-human agency through playful, tangible engagement, prompting a reconsideration of our relationship with nature.